Costa Concordia cruise singer from Esh Winning tells of ordeal

A CRUISE singer from County Durham told how he jumped for his life from sinking Italian liner Costa Concordia.

And he paid tribute to crew member and friend Sandor Feher who was the first victim of the disaster to be identified yesterday.

“The ship was rising and the water was getting closer when the lights went out and we were plunged into darkness,” said Ian Fraser, now back at his home of 16 years in Esh Winning. “I knew then I had to jump or swim.

“We knew this was our chance to go and we just belly-flopped into the water. I was swimming towards the rocks and I looked back and couldn’t believe that just a few hours ago I had been sitting in my cabin watching telly.

“The place we had jumped from had disappeared underwater. All around us people were screaming and shouting.

“The ship was making a terrible groaning, like it was in its death throes. I knew I was lucky to be alive.”

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