1.
LV MOUNTAINS PAN ACROSS TO CHURCH AND DOWN TO CONGREGATION
0.06

2.
MV PAN ACROSS COFFIN WITH FLOWERS IN FRONT OF CHURCH
0.19

3.
CU THREE IN CONGREGATION BEING TREATED FOR HEAT (3 SHOTS)
0.25

4.
LV PAN ACROSS CROWD AND CHURCHMEN SPEAKING (2 SHOTS)
0.43

5.
CU PAN UP COFFINS
0.49

6.
MV CONGREGATION PAN TO COFFINS AND MINISTER
1.00

7.
MV CONGREGATION
1.04

8.
CU PAN ACROSS COFFINS
1.15

9.
MV WOMAN LEAVING CRYING
1.17

10.
LV MOUNTAINS PAN UP TO CHURCH
1.23



Initials PH/V/CT/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: GRIEVING PARENTS CROWDED A VILLAGE CHURCHYARD IN THE FRENCH ALPS TODAY (SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH) FOR A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR CHILDREN KILLED IN THURSDAY'S SANATORIUM DISASTER AT PLATEAU D'ASSY. WHILE THE OPEN AIR SERVICE TOOK PLACE IN BRIGHT SUNSHINE, LOCAL OFFICIALS ORDERED RESCUE OPERATIONS SUSPENDED FOR THREE HOURS IN THE RUINS OF THE SHATTERED TWO-STOREY BUILDING WHERE 71 PEOPLE -- MOST OF THEM YOUNG BOYS -- WERE BURIED UNDER TONS OF ICE, ROCK AND EARTH.

COFFINS, BEARING WREATHS OF WHITE FLOWERS SHAPED AS CROSSES, WERE LAID IN THE COURTYARD OF THE CHURCH -- FACING THEM SAT THE PARENTS. DURING THE SERVICE, A TELEGRAM FROM POPE PAUL WAS READ SAYING HE WAS STRONGLY MOVED BY THE CATASTROPHE, WHICH FOLLOWED ANOTHER AVALANCHE THAT KILLED 42 PEOPLE AT VAL D'ISERE IN THE SAME AREA TWO MONTHS AGO. AMONG THE MOURNERS WERE M. COURY AND MLLE MARIE-MADELEINE DIENESCH, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOCIAL AFFAIRS, REPRESENTING THE GOVERNMENT.

THE SUN SHONE BRILLIANTLY OVERHEAD -- MELTING THE SNOW AND INCREASING THE THREAT OF FURTHER SLIDES. ONLY A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE SERVICE WAS DUE TO COMMENCE A NEW MASS OF EARTH SLIPPED DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDE ABOVE THE PLATEAU. ALTHOUGH NO DAMAGE WAS CAUSED, THE SLIDE UNDERLINED THE DANGER FACING THE 200 RESCUE WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING NON-STOP SINCE THE TRAGEDY.

SO FAR, 54 BODIES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED -- 44 BOYS AND TEN ADULTS. 71 PEOPLE WERE ASLEEP INSIDE THE SANATORIUM WHEN THE AVALANCHE SWEPT DOWN ON THE BUILDING IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THURSDAY MORNING.