This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8290405.stm

The article has changed 36 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Tsunami survivor recalls lucky escape Tsunami survivor recalls lucky escape
(21 minutes later)
AdvertisementAdvertisement
Rachel Pooley: "I said to myself if this is it, this is it"Rachel Pooley: "I said to myself if this is it, this is it"
Briton Rachel Pooley, speaking at a memorial church service held on the tsunami-hit South Pacific islands of Samoa and American Samoa, has told the BBC about her remarkable tale of survival.Briton Rachel Pooley, speaking at a memorial church service held on the tsunami-hit South Pacific islands of Samoa and American Samoa, has told the BBC about her remarkable tale of survival.
The 27-year-old from Hertford had only the screams of fellow tourists to alert her to the oncoming tsunami wave that was about to pummel the Samoa shore.The 27-year-old from Hertford had only the screams of fellow tourists to alert her to the oncoming tsunami wave that was about to pummel the Samoa shore.
Pooley and her boyfriend, Tolu Taranaki, leapt into their car thinking it would be their quickest exit, their only escape from the powerful wave, but they were too late.Pooley and her boyfriend, Tolu Taranaki, leapt into their car thinking it would be their quickest exit, their only escape from the powerful wave, but they were too late.
"The wave came and hit the side of the car into the mountain," Pooley said, "and that was it.""The wave came and hit the side of the car into the mountain," Pooley said, "and that was it."
Amidst the sudden swirl of dark water, her boyfriend acted quickly and broke a car window to get out. He shouted at Pooley to go first.Amidst the sudden swirl of dark water, her boyfriend acted quickly and broke a car window to get out. He shouted at Pooley to go first.
"I said 'no you' and then he had hold of my hand, and as he got out of the car the big wave just took the car under," she said, "so we just completely lost each other.""I said 'no you' and then he had hold of my hand, and as he got out of the car the big wave just took the car under," she said, "so we just completely lost each other."
If this is your time to die, that's it Rachel Pooley Tsunami dead commemoratedIf this is your time to die, that's it Rachel Pooley Tsunami dead commemorated
An endless stream of pitch-black water cut Pooley from her boyfriend's grasp and filled the car before she was able to take a breath of air.An endless stream of pitch-black water cut Pooley from her boyfriend's grasp and filled the car before she was able to take a breath of air.
"I was trying to breath in the water," she said, mimicking a deep inhale of air, "so I was gulping down water.""I was trying to breath in the water," she said, mimicking a deep inhale of air, "so I was gulping down water."
Blinded by the wave and inhaling the salty sea, Pooley struggled inside the car to find a way out: "I don't even know how long it was, probably a few minutes, but it just seemed forever."Blinded by the wave and inhaling the salty sea, Pooley struggled inside the car to find a way out: "I don't even know how long it was, probably a few minutes, but it just seemed forever."
With no sight and no clear exit she lost hope and resigned herself to the inevitable.With no sight and no clear exit she lost hope and resigned herself to the inevitable.
"I said to myself, Rachel, if this is it, this is it," she said. "If this is you're time to die, that's it.""I said to myself, Rachel, if this is it, this is it," she said. "If this is you're time to die, that's it."
We just screamed at each other and ran toward each other, grabbed each other and ran up the mountain Rachel PooleyWe just screamed at each other and ran toward each other, grabbed each other and ran up the mountain Rachel Pooley
Her body relaxed in the spinning car, she said a little prayer for herself and her boyfriend who had been pulled into the wave.Her body relaxed in the spinning car, she said a little prayer for herself and her boyfriend who had been pulled into the wave.
"Please let us get out of this," she said. "Don't let us die like this, we just can't.""Please let us get out of this," she said. "Don't let us die like this, we just can't."
Suddenly there was daylight. The car had washed back on shore and Pooley was able to squeeze through the broken window, which scraped her body. Once out of the car she caught a glimpse of her boyfriend.Suddenly there was daylight. The car had washed back on shore and Pooley was able to squeeze through the broken window, which scraped her body. Once out of the car she caught a glimpse of her boyfriend.
"And I saw him holding onto a tree," she said. "We just screamed at each other and ran toward each other, grabbed each other and ran up the mountain.""And I saw him holding onto a tree," she said. "We just screamed at each other and ran toward each other, grabbed each other and ran up the mountain."
The escape from the water was chaotic. "There was blood everywhere," Pooley said.The escape from the water was chaotic. "There was blood everywhere," Pooley said.
People were fleeing the shore and running to higher ground. The survivors huddled in a house where Pooley told a woman what she had just been through.People were fleeing the shore and running to higher ground. The survivors huddled in a house where Pooley told a woman what she had just been through.
'Wasn't your time''Wasn't your time'
"Her simple words were 'It just wasn't your time'," Pooley said."Her simple words were 'It just wasn't your time'," Pooley said.
Debris from a local school revealed during aftermath of TsunamiDebris from a local school revealed during aftermath of Tsunami
She feels lucky and her family back in Britain are thankful they are alive. But, still, she worries about local families who lost so much more but showed immense bravery in the face of the tsunami.She feels lucky and her family back in Britain are thankful they are alive. But, still, she worries about local families who lost so much more but showed immense bravery in the face of the tsunami.
Young men wasted no time jumping into the water to try to save anyone they could.Young men wasted no time jumping into the water to try to save anyone they could.
"Before we even knew if there was another wave they were out in the sea," Pooley said. "They were out in the sea getting people, getting bodies, getting whatever they could out of the sea."Before we even knew if there was another wave they were out in the sea," Pooley said. "They were out in the sea getting people, getting bodies, getting whatever they could out of the sea.
"Those are the people that have just been amazing, actually," she said, "and they've lost half of their families.""Those are the people that have just been amazing, actually," she said, "and they've lost half of their families."