[candymosh]

Up to 40 Children among Those Feared Dead on Russian River Boat

Updated: Monday, 11 Jul 2011, 7:38 PM CDT
Published : Monday, 11 Jul 2011, 7:38 PM CDT

(NewsCore) - KAMSKOYE USTYE, Russia -- Russian rescuers said Monday the bodies of up to 40 children appear to be trapped in the playroom of a cruise ship that went down with some 208 people on board in a heavy Volga River storm.

Rescuers used life vests to bring dozens of bodies to shore in a grim recovery operation accompanied by wails from grieving parents and anger from the Kremlin over what seemed to be basic transport safety lapses.

Russia's emergency minister told President Dmitry Medvedev that 208 people had managed to make it on board the "Bulgaria" cruise ship in gross violation of rules that permitted only 140 people to use the 56-year-old craft.

Other reports said the Bulgaria had not undergone renovations since 1980 and was only equipped with two of the four required rescue boats -- with even those not being lowered because the craft was swallowed by the waters within minutes.

Rescuers spent nearly 24 hours scouring the turbulent waters before encountering a Bulgaria cargo hold that was set up as a children's playpen with a special sandlot.

"The divers inspected the craft and found 30 to 40 children in the cargo hold," a member of the rescue operation told the Interfax news agency.

His comments supported earlier survivors' reports of dozens of children entering the playpen only moments before the boat sank.

The rescuer said the children's bodies will only be recovered once the entire ship is raised in a delicate operation requiring the help of special barges equipped with cranes.

"The current is very strong in that section of the river," the rescuer said.

The worst river boat disaster since 1983 came on top of a recent series of deadly Russian plane crashes and other technical glitches that highlighted the vast work the country needs to do to upgrade its Soviet-era infrastructure.

But the pain of what happened on one of Russia's most important rivers became increasingly obvious Monday as the hours passed and the number of survivors refused to edge up beyond the 79 people reported on Sunday.

Medvedev demanded a review of Russia's entire transportation infrastructure and requested inquiries into why the ship had sailed with a broken left engine and without an operating license in violation of the law.

"We have enough old tubs floating around," Medvedev sternly told a government meeting in reference to outdated vessels.

"Based on the information we have today, the ship was in an unsuitable condition," Medvedev said in nationally televised remarks.

Read more: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpps/new...#ixzz1Rqn643tQ

[p4irs]

trapped in a playroom..damn

[Faline]

Picture i found