Two missing after SEA DIAMOND cruise ship sinks
French father and daughter unaccounted for after ship goes down

What seemed at first to be a simple case of grounding has turned to horror as the SEA DIAMOND sank in 200 metres of water after being towed off the rocks she struck off Santorini in the Aegean Sea

Passengers had all thought to have been taken off safely, but now fears are rising for two missing passengers, a Frenchman and his daughter who were in their cabin at the time the ship struck the rocks.

The ship sank at around 7am today (Friday, 6th April) some 15 hours after she went aground. The impact is said to have been so great some doors in cabins were thrown out.

Despite earlier reports that all passengers were evacuated safely, now authorities are saying that they have spoken to a French woman who said her cabin had taken in water and she and her son escaped but due to the speed at which things happened she is not sure about the whereabouts of her husband and daughter.

The BBC says that AFP news agency reported a ministry official who said  "The missing are Jean-Christophe Allain, 45 and his 16-year-old daughter Maud."

Louis Hellenic Cruises confirmed today that it has been informed by a French tour leader that so far two members of his group from the mv SEA DIAMOND have not yet been in contact with him.

Every effort is being made to locate them, said the company

Passengers from SEA DIAMOND have arrived in Piraeus on the mv AEGEAN TWO and mv PERLA is expected to also arrive there with more passengers at around noon local time, said Louis.

She had left Piraeus on Monday for a five day cruise round some of the Greek islands and had been due to return today.

For particulars on the cruise ship, see our earlier report here.