NEWS: Paralympic Games Cut Short After Accident, page 1

The closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games was cut short after 7 students died in a motor vehicle accident in Athens, Greece. Organisers said the artistic and entertainment part of the ceremony had been cancelled as a sign of respect. This bus which contained 37 student and 4 educators from Farkadona, near Trikala struck a lorry.

news.bbc.co.uk
"The Athens Olympics Organising Committee [ATHOC] has decided to cancel the closing ceremony of the 12th Athens Paralympics as initially planned and scheduled because of the tragic accident that cost the life of pupils," ATHOC said in a statement.

Tuesday's closing ceremony will now only consist of the athletes' entry into the main Olympic stadium, the closing speech by the president of the International Paralympic Committee, the handover of the Paralympics flag and the extinction of the Paralympic flame.

Deputy Greek fire chief Andreas Kois said: "The situation is tragic. The crash with the truck overturned the bus. Exactly how it happened we do not know."

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The roads in Greece are absolutly horrible. Their 'highway' consists of two lanes going both directions at the most. Quite scary because most of the roads are on the sides of mountians. Obviously, it is also quite dangerous. As you drive along the winding mountian roads and look too the side, you will notice hundreds of crosses, with candles, littering the shoulder. Every single one of these represents on life lost, in a motor vehicle accident.

Yet Greece still does nothing about it. These accident still happen. Lives could be prevented, but they aren't. Families could be saved, but they aren't.

A minute's silence will be held for the victims at Paralympic venues, aswell as 41 more crosses and 41 more candles, littering the mountain side.

[edit on 27-9-2004 by MacKiller]

[edit on 27-9-2004 by Nerdling]