TWO DIE in BUS PLUNGE E/Ght Still Missing in Comfort, Texas, As Search Waits for Light
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j --i '■ -w-.'-Tx^t^------ATT'‘>c.:. .'.I*, r - UlaitfhratrrManchester — A City o( Village Charm Hrralft Saturday. July 18.1987 30 Cents Rescue workers help an unidentified per son after saving her from the rain-swoilen Guadalupe River in Comfort. Texas, about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio. Friday. A church bus and van carrying 43 people toppled into the river at a crossing which was having its worst flooding in 55 years. TWO DIE IN BUS PLUNGE E/ght Still missing in Comfort, Texas, as search waits for light COMFORT. Texas (AP) — A church notified that the river was on the rise," around her properly, but she just bus and a van carrying 43 people from a said Kendall County Sheriff Lee D’Spain couldn’t hold on,” said Sgt. Charles missing hours after the 7 a.m. accident. children’s camp to a rafting expedition Jr . “I couldn’t say for certain, but I Seale, area supervisor for the Texas The accident occurred at a ford on the were swept into a rain-swollen river think that would be right that it could Department of Public Safety. Guadalupe River, which was experienc Friday, killing two people and leaving have been avoided if they would have The girl, who was from Mesquite, was ing its worst flooding in 55 years, eight missing as sundvors clung to trees taken notice of the warning." idenUfied as Melanie Finley. The second authorities said. awaiUng rescue, authorities said. The body of one girl was found three victim was identified as Tonya Smith, "It Just may be some false hopes" that SherifFs officers said they had called miles downstream, and a 14-year-old 13, of Scurry. any survived in the churning waters camp officials between 3 and 4 a.m. girl died when she fell 100 feet from a Survivors clung to trees or tried to Seale said. Friday to warn against crossing the rope dangled by a rescue helicopter. form human chains to get out of the The search, called off at dusk, was to swollen river. "She couldn’t hold on. She apparently flood, but Seale said eight people resume at daybreak, he said. "Everybody down the river was was too weak to hold on. She had the rope ranging in age from 10 to 18 were still Turn to page 8 Poindexter sticks to story 'MAGAZINE PULLOUT SECTION Testimony brings denials from White House... page 3 Need money? Herald columnist gives it away on Thursday! -t~ - r,ti=,^ SNAFU by Bniot B«attl« Two die in Texas bus piunge Poindexter stickis to his diversion story as grim search awaits iight Testimony brings V CoBlinued from page l the survivors told him they tried to the church van was following too quick new denials form a human chain to get to the closely. Koons said he told the At least 19 of the 33 known bank. youths to get out. but that when they from White House survivors were iujured, said David “ She said they were all holding did many werd swept downstream. Wells, another DPS spokesman. hands like a chain and maybe work Many of the children saved Only two were hospitalized late themselves up back to the pave themselves by clinging to trees. WASHINGTON (AP) — 'Former National Security Friday, one in guarded and the ment," said Charles Daggett of the Children emerged from helicopters Adviser John Poindexter testified Friday that no other in stable condition, said Comfort Volunteer Fire wrapped in blankets, some without matter what the White House says he still believes James Taylor, a dispatcher for Department. shoes and their clothes tattered. President Reagan would have approved diverting Kerr County Emergency Medical “ She said then a wali of water “ We have hypothermia and Iranian arms-sale profits to the Nicaraguan contras. Services. came so fast that it kind of broke shock patients who are children,” His comments drew quick new denials from Reagan “ I’m fine. I’m just worried about them up, and that the bus started said Ms. Sakach. She said most of officials. my kids,” said bus driver Richard floating and that a lot of them the injured were teen-agers. IB the face of sharp congressional questions about his “ Whitey” Koons, 26. stayed with the bus, but then it One of those critically injured own credibility, as well as White House denials, Koons said he was taking the started going on down river,” he was a 14-year-old girl, and Ms. Poindexter stood by his earlier testimony that he youngsters to a rafting expedition said. Sakach said another person in approved the diversion on his own to protect President when the bus stalled in about 12 One youngster, Jason Heman- critical condition was suffering Reagan, that he never told the-president and that he inches of water at a ford on the ' dez, 13, of Dallas, said a friend from severe shock and believed he wasn’t doing anything Reagan himself Guadalupe River that normally is rescued him by handing him a hypothermia. wouldn’t have approved. covered by low water. branch to grab onto until a Confronted with a statement on Thursday by He told the children to get out, helicopter could pick him up. "The water is running fast and it Reagan’s chief spokesman. Marlin Fitzw,ate;', that the and some were swept away as the “ He saved my life. I said several is very cold,” she said. president would not have allowed the diversion to Connecticut Weather river suddenly rose to as high as the prayers,” Hernandez said. Many suffered bruises and small proceed, Poindexter told the Iran-contra committees van’s steering wheel. The bus then cuts on their arms and legs from on Friday, “ I would have expected him to say that. Seale said 43 people were aboard toppled into the flood. clinging to the trees, said ^ ts y That’s the whole Idea of deniability.” Central, Eastern Interior, Southwest Interior: The empty bus was found about the two vehicles, which were from Cox, a registered nurse at Sid the Seagoville Road Baptist Church Saturday, mostly sunny and hot. IIi{^ 90 to 95. Wind 5:30 p.m. on the north side of the Peterson Memorial Hospital in REAGAN DECLINED to respond to Poindexter’s in Balch Springs, near Dallas. They southwest 10 to 20 mph. Saturday night, partly cloudy. river, but the sheriff said the van nearby Kerrville who was at the latest remarks, saying to reporters, “ No comments had been at the Pot o’ Gold camp, Low in the 60s. Sunday, partly cloudy. H i^ 85 to 90. was still under water. scene. until the Investigation is over and then I will be eagerly West CoMlal, East Coutal: Saturday, mostly sunny about 60 miles northwest of San Almost a foot of rain fell in the responding.” and warn. High in the mid 80s. Wind southwest 10 to 20 Antonio, since Monday. The sherifFs office said Friday's area Friday morning, causing the rainfall prompted deputies to evac However, his chief of staff Howard Baker challenged mph. Saturday night, partly cloudy. Low 65 to 70. worst flooding of the Guadalupe Koons, said the bus ahead of him Poindexter’s testimony and said of Reagan and the AP photo Sunday, partly cloudy. High in the mid 80s. uate hundreds of residenu along River at nearby Hunt since July created a wake as he tried to pass the Guadalupe in Hunt and Ingram diversion, “ had he known about it. he simply would Nofthwest Hills: Saturday, mostly sunny and hot. committees investigating the Iran- 1932, the National Weather Service through the low-water crossing, in neighboring Kerr County. As have stopped it.” Former National Security Adviser John High 90 to 95. Wind southwest 10 to 20 mph. Saturday said. The river had risen to 28.4 feet. and his bus stalled. Baker contended Poindexter’s statements were contra affair on Capitol Hill Friday. night, partly cloudy. Low in the 60s. Sunday, partly much as 4 inches of rain fell per Poindexter, left, leans toward his 16 feet above flood stage, by 4 a.m. Koons, a youth pastor of the merely “ the admiral’s opinion.” based on no facts, cloudy. High in the 80s. ' hour after midnight, the weather attorney. Richard Beckler, during an Beckler complained that lawmakers and A volunt^r firefighter said one of group, said he tried to back up, but service said. evidence or conversaUon with the president. lawyers have treated his client unfairly. Poindexter told the committees that he had basedjiis appearance before the congressional view on 5‘A years of working for Reagan on the national security staff, including the final year during which he Lottery Winners create their own political disasters,” Rudman said. assistance to the contras and could provoke further Mom guilty of smothering baby had nearly daily meetings with the president. legal restrictions on aid. Congress had already banned “ Nobody else ought to do it for them.” At the start of Poindexter’s third day of testimony direct and Indirect U.S. military aid to the contras before the congiessloiial committees, his attorney. Poindexter denied, however, that he was att^ p tin g Connecticut daily Friday: 958. Play Four: 4820. SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (A P) — A woman whose nine POINDEXTER. 58, fiddled with his pipe and Richard Beckler, objected that committee members a cover-up last November when be destroyed a key children all died over 14 years and who confessed to respb^ed in generally even tones as attorneys for the Connecticut “ Lotto" Friday: 2,20,27.22.25.27.