Serbian Tsunami
2004 Honorable Mention
Unconfirmed by Darwin
(26 December 2004, Nis, Serbia) Danilo, 36, is the only known Serbian
victim of the giant tsunami that devastated countries around the Indian
Ocean. And he was at home in Serbia at the time. He blames television for
the tragedy.
Unconfirmed by Darwin
He was so shocked when he saw the tsunami footage on TV that he jumped out his apartment window. As he fell from the second floor, it occurred to him that the tsunami was not actually a threat to South Serbia, which is separated by an entire continent from the Indian Ocean. But it was too late to avoid impact: he suffered two broken legs and a damaged spine.
Recovering later from his tsunami injuries, he threatened to sue the local television station for announcing that "the tsunami is coming our way," and people should "immediately evacuate." A spokesperson for the television station said Danilo must have misunderstood the reporter's words.
