BBC News | EUROPE | Portugal relatives wait without hope

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Monday, 5 March, 2001, 13:19 GMT

Portugal relatives wait without hope

Relatives of the missing gathered on the bank of the Douro river at Entre-os-Rios to watch the efforts of divers and firecrews in dinghies.

All we can do now is wait for the bodies
Maria Aurora Sousa

One of them, Maria Aurora Sousa, said three of her cousins were on board the bus that plunged into the river as the bridge collapsed.

"As soon as we saw the destruction, we knew there could be no hope," she said.

"All we can do now is wait for the bodies."

A fireman who was walking across the bridge on Sunday night saw the disaster unfold.

"The bus which was approaching me suddenly disappeared," he said.

All I could see below in the water were its lights and flashing indicator light
Eyewitness

"Then all I could see below in the water were its lights and flashing indicator light."

In a bizarre twist to the story, the father of the driver of the bus had himself driven a bus over the bridge only seconds earlier.

Constant worries

Jose Rodrigues said he had not noticed anything unusual.

"But we were always frightened crossing that bridge because it was rotten," he added.

We were always frightened crossing that bridge because it was rotten
Jose Rodrigues

Mr Rodrigues said he had been talking over a mobile phone to his son in the following bus only seconds before the tragedy occurred.

Many local people blame the Portugese Government for the disaster, saying that ministers in Lisbon ignored repeated warnings that the bridge was in imminent danger of collapsing.

The Prime Minister, Antonio Guterres, received a hostile reception when he arrived in the nearby town of Castelo to offer his condolences.

"Why don't you just go away," shouted one man in a crowd that gathered round him.

Related to this story:
Country profile: Portugal (15 Jan 01 | Country profiles)

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