Ron and Christine Cleal – back home but still shaky. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0926209)

A RETIRED local couple yesterday described the terror of being trapped on a cruise liner that was ‘lifted up’ after crashing into a jetty.

Ron and Christine Cleal were on the Costa Europa, which smashed into a pier in Egypt last week.

Three crew members were killed and more than a thousand holidaymakers were left terrified by the tragedy that made headlines around the world.

Mrs Cleal said the couple were still struggling to come to terms with the accident.

‘We only just got back to Guernsey and we’re still a bit shaky,’ said the 65-year-old.

Mr Cleal said the near 55,000 tonne cruise liner was due to arrive at the Red Sea port of Sharm el-Sheik at 6am, but passengers were woken at 4am after hearing a ‘hell of a bang’.

‘Drawers were flying everywhere in the cabin and the ship starting lifting,’ he said. ‘I have been boating for 43 years and I know that as a ship starts lifting like that it’s time to get out of there. It takes a lot to make a boat like that lift. The possibility of it tipping over was seriously real.’

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