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CNN Live Sunday

Revelers Evacuated by Sea in England

Aired July 14, 2002 - 17:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: What if you gave a party and too many people came? That's what happened to British D.J. Fatboy Slim. A weekend beach party in Brighton, England wound up being so overcrowd some people had to be evacuated by sea. ITN's Phillip Ray Smith details the jam-packed party.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIP RAY SMITH, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Organizers were expecting 60,000 revelers at most. In fact, nearly a quarter of million crowded onto Brighton Beach for the annual free dance party organized by D.J. Fatboy Slim. It's thought the weekend's warm weather combined with heavy radio promotion tempted the high numbers out.

But what should have been a highlight of the summer festival calendar became a nightmare for many as the beach was hit by human gridlock. As night fell, the sheer number of people on the beach meant many found themselves trapped. Organizers trained spotlights on the shore as the lifeboat plucked unconscious revelers from the sea. Some found the only way to leave the beach was to cling to the back of ambulances moving through the crowd.

Police say they were swamped by the turnout.

CHIEF SUPT. DOUG RATTRAY, SUSSEX POLICE: Well, the numbers that have come to Brighton this evening are far in excess of what was anticipated. We've had some estimates that there might have even been in excess of 200,000 people here, when something in the region of 40,000 to 60,000 had been expected.

SMITH: Officials say crowd control measures must be improved if the event is to take place again next year.

Phillip Ray Smith, ITV News.

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