Irish Foreign Minister arrives in Thailand

Dermot Ahern was accompanied by the heads of Ireland's main aid organisations, Concern, Goal, Trocaire and the Irish Red Cross.

Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern arrived on Sunday in Thailand's tsunami-hit tourist island of Phuket to survey the devastation caused by the killer waves and to meet with Irish relief volunteers.

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Ahern was accompanied by the heads of the country's main aid organisations, Concern, Goal, Trocaire and the Irish Red Cross.

The tsunami has resulted in one confirmed Irish fatality, a Dublin woman, but foreign ministry officials are "extremely worried" three other people may have also died. They also acknowledged there was "medium risk" another four perished.

After touring regions of southern Thailand devastated by the tsunami, Ahern is to travel to Indonesia and Sri Lanka to assess the humanitarian needs in those countries as well.