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Monday, February 12, 2007
Balance at the end of a sad day in Tenerife
After the last of the six bodies had been recovered from the Piedra de los Cochinos gallery Sunday afternoon, the rescue helicopter passed over the house for the last time to land at the Finca Los Pedregales complex (more photos) here in El Palmar, where emergency services had set up a temporary base.
The six dead have now been identified as being five Spanish nationals; four men and one woman and, one Italian male, all between the ages of just 22 and 36.
The town halls in Buenavista del Norte and Los Silos called emergency meetings Sunday and have declared three days of mourning in the district for the dead.
According to agency and TV reports, one of the six survivors who had needed to be taken to hospital by helicopter, has been discharged, however, another's situation had worsened. Two remain in a serious condition with symptoms of muscular destruction from having been in a fixed position for such a length of time, but are not in danger.
There is no need for me to translate any further, because our tiny little valley, where normally nothing happens slowly, is today all over the international news. The most comprehensive story, was filed by Artutro Rodriguez for The Associated Press .
The BBC, Examiner, News.com.au, smh.com.au, New Zealand Herald, German Press Agency, International Herald Tribune, Boston Herald, Scotsman and SFGate ( photos), are amongst the many others, who are also running one or other of the syndicated stories from Reuters and the Associated Press.
They all appear to have got the story right too, but I cannot help but comment on the only one who didn't and, for whatever reason, decided to "dress the headline up" with the falsehood that the tunnel collapsed ... Wait for it US viewers: Fox News.
The rescue helicopters, as well as fire engines, Civil Guard vehicles and ambulances had been buzzing thorough the valley for most of the almost 24 hours it took to complete the difficult rescue operation. The coordination point on the entrance to the single track road which leads to the Monte del Agua, was actually my friends' house, so you can see how rather "close to home" this tragic event has been.
As Los Silos mayor, Santiago Martín, observed, this beautiful area deserves to be on the front pages of the world's media also for other [better] motives.
Video: Guardia Civil helicopter lands in the Barranco de los Cochinos
Labels: Piedra de los Cochinos
