Video of drowned bodies in Ohrid tragedy. Graphic content
An overloaded sightseeing boat carrying dozens of Bulgarian tourists sank Saturday in a lake on Macedonia's western border, and 15 people drowned, officials said.
The vessel, called the Ilinden, sank rapidly in just six meters (20 feet) of water in Lake Ohrid, police spokesman Ivo Kotevski said. The vessel split in two and sank about 200 meters (650 feet) from shore.
There were 57 passenger
More..s on board, Kotevski told The Associated Press. Of those, 15 drowned and 42 were rescued. Four passengers who were recovered unconscious are still in hospital but are not in danger, he said.
Earlier reports had put the number of passengers on the Ilinden at 73. Police later corrected the number.
"The 23-year-old skipper and his deputy have been questioned about the incident. In their first statements they said that a loud crack was heard (toward the rear) before the boat sunk rapidly," Kotevski said.
One witness said she and others rushed to the scene in a speedboat.
"The scene was horrible," Gordana Ruvcevska said. "We saw at least 10 bodies floating. We pulled out three survivors."
Most of the passengers on the 70-year-old boat, which had a 42-person capacity, belonged to a group of tourists from Bulgaria.
The vessel had been traveling from Ohrid, on the lake's eastern shore, to the medieval Eastern Orthodox monastery complex Sveti Naum about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south near the Albanian border, according to Macedonia's private A1 television. Lake Ohrid itself — the deepest in the Balkans, located along the mountainous border between Macedonia and Albania — has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1979.
Macedonia's government held a special meeting Saturday and declared Sunday a day of mourning. Transportation Minister Mile Janakievski offered his resignation.
"This is the worst accident that has ever happened on the Ohrid Lake," police spokesman Stefan Dimoski told The Associated Press.
A Bulgarian government delegation, headed by Health Minister Bozidar Nanev, arrived in Ohrid, Macedonian media reported. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov has sent a government plane to pick up the survivors. Less..
Added: Sep 6 2009 In: other
Recorded on: Sep 5 2009
By: spartax 
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- Votes: 1 |
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- Comments: 44
Comments - sort by newest to oldest
They were probably swimming around in circles for so long before getting exhausted and drowning. Just goes to show you can drown in even the calmest of water.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "Wuffles" (R)
Horrible. Drowning and burning to death is by far the worst way to go.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "strela1" (R)
Where were the life jackets and floatation devices? it a pity that folk must die before measures are taken to safeguard passengers on these toures. RIP all you gentle folk.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "umzimkulu" (R)
Glug Glug Glug
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "Travis1975" (R)
the dundee cake musta been a trifle heavy.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "paulingrad" (R)
who'da thought that last wafer mint would kill you.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "paulingrad" (R)
Does mocking their deaths somehow make you feel better about yourself? Either way, you're a prick.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "db1111" (R)
That comment was for you...I'd hate for you not to know that.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "db1111" (R)
don't feel sorry for the dead son, or americans would never stop crying.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "paulingrad" (R)
Shame only Bulgarian died in the accident, I prefer if they where American instead .
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "Muhamedabdo" (R)
don't feel sorry for the dead son, or americans would never stop crying.
I thumbed you down because you are an obnoxious prick. Please feel free to do the same.
Point of etiquette, it's bad form to thumbs up your own posts it shows an inferiority complex.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "24038462" (R)
That's if they could even swim. A surprisingly large amount of people cant
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "Travis1975" (R)
don't feel sorry for the dead son, or americans would never stop crying.
I thumbed you down because you are an obnoxious prick. Please feel free to do the same.
Point of etiquette, it's bad form to thumbs up your own posts it shows an inferiority complex.
thanks. that's music to my ears.
in reality i'm a polite guy, maybe even boring. on the other hand, my fat, beer swilling, pizza eating retard isn't.
it's called character acting, try it, it's fun.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "paulingrad" (R)
"(650 feet) from shore"
That's not much of a swim in my opinion... You could float on your back if needed. Seems to me those that drowned, didn't know how too swim.
RIP
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "manwithaplan" (R)
btw, muhamed thunbed me up.
Posted Sep-6-2009 by "paulingrad" (R)