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Escape from death wave

Michael Byrne
29/12/2004

THE LEADER of Rochdale Council spoke yesterday of how he and two friends came within feet of being swept to their deaths by the tidal wave that devastated South East Asia.

Councillor Paul Rowen was snorkelling off the Thai holiday island of Phi Phi with local businessman Terry Mason and his wife Marilyn when the tsunami struck.

The captain of the boat they were using screamed at the party to get back on board and they did so just as the first of a series of huge waves swept past them before battering the inland villages.

The waves were caused by the huge earthquake off the northern tip of Indonesia and resulted in the death of more than 23,000 people.

Councillor Rowen had flown to Phuket three days before Christmas to join the Masons.

Councillor Rowen, tracked down by the Observer in Bangkok on Tuesday, said: "The water suddenly changed colour and the captain, sensing something was seriously wrong, ordered everyone back on board.

"Terry was the last to get on board because he had swum around leading other swimmers to safety. Just as he was climbing on the deck, I saw this wall of water five metres high crash onto the shore. It hit a local village, overturning boats and snapping trees like matchsticks.

"The wave then seemed to head towards us and one boat, three times the size of our vessel, was overturned. Our captain put the motor on full throttle,but for a few moments I was convinced the wave was going to smash into us.

"I have never been so scared in my life. I thought I was going to die. It sends shivers down my spine when I think about this nightmare. It wasn't until we got back to the hotel that we realised how lucky we had been.

"Had we not gone snorkelling off Phi Phi, we would have been having breakfast in our Phuket hotel when the killer wave hit it. The dining room was destroyed and two people were killed."

When they returned to the hotel they found cars had crashed into the reception area and dining room and bungalows in the grounds were completely underwater.

The Masons' married daughter Carol and her family flew back to England on Tuesday, but Councillor Rowen and the Masons went on to Bangkok the same day to continue their holiday.