Charli Wrote:
There was some rumor floating around on Craigslist that Adam Clayton was heard to be there and missing too.
That one has gone unfounded.
Search on for Irish in aftermath of chaos
Dublin officials get 1,000 calls from relatives
By Fergus Black
newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
28 December 2004
EFFORTS were under way today to track down Irish holidaymakers still missing in the aftermath of the tidal wave disaster that has claimed more than 23,000 lives across south Asia.
Dozens of Irish people are reported missing in the devastated holiday resort of Phuket, Thailand, among them two women who are presumed drowned.
However, reports that rock star Adam Clayton was stranded amid the chaos in southern Asia have been denied.
The U2 bass guitarist is on holiday in Thailand but friends said he was safe.
A close friend of the band confirmed that the rock star had been enjoying a break well away from the ravaged areas and was not in any danger.
"He is enjoying a break before the new tour gets under way but has not been close to the affected areas and hasn't been in any danger at any time," he said.
In the past 24 hours, more than 1,000 anxious callers contacted Department of Foreign Affairs help lines in Dublin inquiring about the welfare of up to 500 relatives and loved ones who were holidaying in some of the eight countries devastated by the tidal waves.
The Republic's Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern said yesterday that so far there had been no reports of Irish casualties.
But he admitted that the full picture had yet to emerge and so far contact had not been made with a number of Irish people in the worst hit areas.
"Most of the countries don't require visas and we are not sure how many Irish are in these areas. But from the calls to our phone lines over the past 24 hours we estimate about 500 people are in the affected areas."
Quite a number of those calls were from people intending to travel to South East Asia and wondering whether it was still possible to go, said the minister.
Mr Ahern said they had reports that five to 10 Irish people were receiving medical care but none of their injuries were life-threatening. The minister admitted that there may be further casualties but over the next 24 to 36 hours a better picture may emerge.
He also acknowledged they had been unable to contact some Irish people.
"We haven't made contact with some number of people so far. It will take another few hours for us to get a final handle on how many are missing."
Mr Ahern added the Department of Foreign Affairs was working with the Irish embassies in India, Malay- sia and Singapore to assist people trying to contact family members.
Ireland's ambassador to Malaysia, Dan Mulhall, travelled yesterday from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket, bringing with him emergency passports to help Irish people get home.
He also visited a Dublin family, two of whom were injured when the huge tidal wave hit their resort.
