NBC DATELINE FEATURES LISA PAISOLA, MSEXPLORER ANTARCTIC CRUISE DISASTER SURVIVOR

NBC DATELINE FEATURES LISA PAISOLA, MSEXPLORER ANTARCTIC CRUISE DISASTER SURVIVOR

March 03, 2007
Live From NBC Dateline, New York, New York USA

Woman survives two icebergs

World traveler Lisa Paisola is trying to visit her seventh and final continent -- Antarctica. Her ship hits two icebergs, forcing Paisola and her fellow passengers and crew to evacuate to small lifeboats

Watch the Video Live From NBC Dateline

Lisa Paisola endowed as Good Will Ambasador to "Mothers Without Borders Foundation", by Robert Paisola

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10, 2008
Robert Paisola, Los Angeles California

To our friends around the world:

We are wanting to take a moment to thank you for all of the support that you have provided for Lisa Paisola and her family during the past few weeks, since she was safely returned from the freezing waters of the Antarctic Ocean.

Lisa recently was CHOSEN TO BE a Goodwill Ambassador for The Worldwide Charity Mothers Without Borders located at www.MothersWithoutBorders.org

"I am so honored that I have been given the opportunity to assist those in other countries that have gone through so much more than WE CAN EVEN COMPREHEND, It is truly inspiring how this organization changes so many lives" said Paisola.

Paisola is the perfect ambassador for MOTHERSWITHOUTBORDERS.ORG, as, she has an innate ability to connect with children around the world. Many of her travels have taken her to the depths of poverty ridden countries, she has always done what she could on her own, but now Lisa Paisola said "I am very excited to have this organization behind me in my efforts to bring light to the needs of these seriously impoverished countries. "I know what we need to do, it is just a matter of getting it done!" she said. She concluded by saying that "Each one of us have the ability to create change to those that are devastated by poverty and orphaned by AIDS"

As more and more HIV-infected parents die, the burden of caring for millions of orphans will fall upon countries already stretched to the breaking point.

Once children lose their parents, many of them are forced to leave school to support themselves and their siblings. Some turn to crime. Others are forced into prostitution. Without the loving guidance of an adult, these children easily fall victim to disease, starvation and the elements.

Thousands of children end up on the streets of major cities, sleeping on the hard, cold ground and digging in trashcans or begging for food.

When asked what is the hardest part about living alone, a thirteen-year-old boy living on the streets in Zambia, told us, "I don't have anyone to love me or protect me or help me. I am always alone."

The purpose at Mothers Without Borders is to address the needs of orphaned and abandoned children in a holistic manner. We support efforts to provide safe shelter, food and clean water, education and access to caring adults. They want to assure that each child has someone who cares about them to teach them of their value.


___
Lisa Paisola is a survivor of the MS Explorer Disaster that took place in November 2008. Lisa Paisola can be contacted at media@msexplorer.net

This release is copyright 2008 The Robert Paisola Family Foundation
All Rights Reserved

The Today Show on NBC to Feature Lisa Paisola from MS Explorer Disaster, Posted By Robert Paisola

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2007 11:59PM MST
Robert Paisola
Copyright 2007, Robert Paisola


To all of our Friends, Family and Media around the World,

Today we announced that we had received informatation that Lisa Paisola, my sister and passenger of the MS Explorer Cruise Ship was arriving home.

Right now it is 11:16 PM in Salt Lake City, Utah and this is the first time that I have to update you on todays events.

Lisa arrived at the Salt Lake City, Utah International Airport today from Dallas Texas. She was greeted by reporters from all over the nation. Here are a few of the photos that we are able to post at this time. NBC will post many more, including LIVE VIDEO from the bridge of the Captains Deck minutes prior to the disaster and the entire evacuation process that was documented. No other person in the world has this kind of video.






We are very happy to announce that Lisa will be the featured guest on THE TODAY SHOW based in the United States with Ann Curry, tomorrow morning at 5:30 AM MST.

The Television Producers and equipment needed to Produce this Live Remote are enroute from Denver, Colorado and will be here at my home in 2 hours!

The local NBC Affiliate, KSL has received two, two gig memory chips containing exclusive photos and incredible video.

The NBC Network Deal took almost 7 hours to complete and the Local Producer Shelly Osterloh in conjunction with the New York Staff of NBC made it all happen.

We as a family are releived that this ordeal is almost over, and you can look forward to seeing our entire family on Dateline in January, 2008, Live from New York City.

To the reporters that we were not able to accomodate, we are committed to work with you and will continue to update this blog on a very regular basis.

Photos will be edited and produced by NBC and will be avaliable on the International NBC and MSNBC Web Sites.

Again, we wish you the best, and will continue to provide links from around the world to document how this has unfolded.

The Circus begins again in 3 hours at 3:00 AM with the Live NBC Remote from New York.


Many more photos will be posted tomorrow.



From our Hearts to Yours.


Robert Paisola
CEO
The Western Capital Foundation
robert@mycollector.com
801-619-4700
Copyright 2007, Robert Paisola, All Rights Reserved

LIVE VIDEO NOW AVALIABLE ON INTERNATIONAL BASIS ON MSN AND GOOGLE NETWORKS OF TODAY SHOW AIRING OF MS EXPLORER LISA PAISOLA, POSTED BY ROBERT PAISOLA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ROBERT PAISOLA

801-619-4700

THE VIDEO OF LISA PAISOLA'S APPEARANCE ON THE TODAY SHOW IS NOW LIVE ON THE MSN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

http://video.msn.com/
CLICK ON NEWS
CLICK ON THE TODAY SHOW
CLICK ON THE PHOTO OF LISA PAISOLA
THE VIDEO WILL START IMMEDIATELY FROM THE TODAY SHOW

OR TRY THIS LINK

http://video.msn.com/video.aspx/?mkt=en-us&wa=wsignin1.0#

THE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT 2007 NBC TELEVISION

THE PHOTOS ARE COPYRIGHT 2007 ROBERT PAISOLA INC. AND MAY BE REDISTRIBUTED AS LONG AS PHOTOS ARE CREDITED....

MUCH MUCH MORE TO COME

-LISA PAISOLA IS NOW EXCLUSIVE CLIENT OF "AGENT TO THE STARS" MAX MARKSON

OFFICIAL RELEASE TO BE FORTHCOMING.

ATTENTION WORLDWIDE MEDIA THIS IS THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ANY MEDIA RELATED MATTERS:

Max Markson

Markson Sparks!

The Clock Tower,

Redfern Post Office,

1st Floor, 113, Redfern St.

Redfern, NSW,Australia 2016

Mobile 0412 501 601

max@marksonsparks.com

http://www.marksonsparks.com/

Lisa Paisola to Arrive in Salt Lake City today at 11:10 AM TODAY!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ROBERT PAISOLA
THE WESTERN CAPITAL FOUNDATION
801-619-4700

This is a very short update, but everything that we have done has come to this moment.

Lisa Paisola, my sister and passenger aboard the MS Explorer is arriving at the Salt Lake City International Airport at 11:10 AM MST on American Airlines from Dallas.

She is finally going to be home.

The next update will be from Lisa Paisola herself!

With Love

Robert Paisola

THEY ARE THERE!!! Posted by Robert Paisola

For Immediate Release
Robert Paisola robert@mycollector.com
www.MyCollector.com
Copyright 2007 Robert Paisola, Salt Lake City, Utah


To all of our friends around the world. We have just received notification that as of 2:45 PM MST that Lisa Paisola and Kay Van Horne have made it to a hotel in Chile.

I just got off of the phone with an international reporter in Canada and they have confirmed that Lisa Paisola and Kay Van Horne are checking into the hotel as we speak. There may be a two hour delay.

The hotel is located in Punta Arenas, Chile.

Iwe would ask that you realize that this is a very big relief for our family and we desire to speak to Lisa and Kay on a family level until we are assured of their needs.

Again, my sister, Lisa Paisola and my aunt, Kay Van Horne have arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile.

We are also told that at this very moment, room keys are being handed out.

Thank you all for your support,

Robert Paisola
Chief Executive Officer
The Western Capital Foundation
801-619-4700
www.mycollector.com
robert@mycollector.com

Rescue ship crewmember describes 'frightful' scene, Posted by Robert Paisola

The MS Explorer, a small Canadian cruise ship carrying tourists from 14 nations, including Canada, struck a chunk of ice before dawn Friday. Twenty hours later, it sank in Antarctic waters.

Here's a first-hand account from a Canadian crewmember with the Norwegian cruise liner, the MS Nordnorge, that answered the Explorer's distress call early Friday.

Taylor Echlin, of Mississauga, Ont., describes the 'frightful' sight that greeted him during the rescue of ship's passengers.

The real story, he told CTV.ca in an email, "is about the Captain and crew of the MS Nordnorge.

Their rescue efforts were perfect."

MS Nordnorge's Taylor Echlin recounts the rescue efforts.

Hi everyone:

This is the email you all want to receive. I'm going to tell you about the rescue at sea of the passengers of the MS Explorer by the crew of the MS Nordnorge.

Friday morning, November 23 ... By 0600 I'm up -- shower and shave, put on brand new clean clothes ... and then tidy up the cabin for our cabin steward.

As I leave our stateroom there is an announcement by Franze over the PA system -- "Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I'm sorry to wake you at this early hour, but there's been a change in our day's plans.

We are rushing to the rescue of a sinking ship. We will be there shortly. Please do not use decks 5 and 7. We need to keep those decks clear so our crew can do their proper work, and effect the rescue. We will provide you with more information later."

I re-entered the cabin, got dressed properly for being outside, and picked up my camera....
Here's what happened on the MS Explorer the previous night -- the ship had about 100 passengers, 8 Expedition leaders, and 50 crew.

The MS Explorer was plowing through an enormous ice floe. ... Some time around midnight -- just as they were about to exit the ice floe -- the ship plowed into the very last growler which punctured a fist-sized hole in the starboard side. The ship started taking on water.

The passengers were sleeping in their cabins on Deck 3. One fellow woke up at the sound of the ice hit -- and heard trickling -- like a tap was running.

Soon there was water on his floor. The passenger went to find a crew member -- who came down, tasted the salt water, and knew immediately that they had a problem. Soon water was flooding the third deck -- and the passengers started clearing the floor of their belongings. ...
The Captain ordered everyone to their muster stations. ...

Sometime around 0100 the Captain gave the "Abandon Ship" order.

... The ship was listing badly at that time. The crew had trouble lowering the lifeboats -- as the electricity had now gone out. ...

The engine compartment crew could not start the diesel engine that ran the lifeboat system -- allowing the boats to be lowered -- so they had to hand crank the diesel fuel pumps and hand crank the engine to start it.

The order of events doesn't quite make sense -- as the engine room would be below deck 3 -- but I'm just repeating what passengers told us.

There were only four lifeboats -- with (a few) black rubber expedition dinghies. ...

Many of the MS Explorer lifeboats took on water over the side.

One lady was totally soaked. When she came on board the MS Nordnorge -- she emptied her boots filled with water into a toilet.

'A frightful scene'

The lifeboats drifted away from the MS Explorer for four hours during the night -- first light was before 0300.

When our ship came upon them -- the lifeboats were scattered around the sea. The MS Explorer passengers told us the most beautiful sight they ever had seen were the floodlights of the National Geographic ship coming toward them from the horizon.

The MS Nordnorge appeared shortly after -- and as both ships approached the stranded passengers -- they all quipped that they wanted to be rescued by the bigger, more luxurious ship -- which was ours.

You simply cannot imagine the frightful scene that greeted us when we went out on deck.

The four lifeboats filled to capacity with wet, tired, scared persons were being towed towards our ship by the black rubber dinghies. The MS Nordnorge rescue crew (was) in the Polar Cirkel boats, as well as our super fast rescue launch -- organizing the rescue from the water.

I took hundreds of pictures. It was a truly awful sight -- but they were going to be rescued. Two techniques were being used.

The MS Nordnorge had lowered two of our life rafts to the water -- where they were secured as best possible to the side of the ship. The MS Explorer lifeboats were brought alongside our life rafts -- the passengers were then transferred from their lifeboat to our life raft -- and our life raft was then lifted up to the deck 5 muster station -- where the rescued passengers were offloaded.

The second technique was to offload passengers from the MS Explorer lifeboats to the MS Nordnorge Polar Cirkel boats -- and then bring them to our ship for offloading.

The MS Nordnorge rescue crew was extremely well trained. They completed the rescue in a very timely fashion -- using the two techniques to make the rescue faster. They were as competent as they could be -- and I'm absolutely certain that they were kind and compassionate too.

The entire rescue was completed by about 0730. What was left floating in the water were four empty lifeboats, and the six black rubber expedition dinghies. That was an eerie, lonely sight. Inside the MS Nordnorge

The National Geographic ship was standing by to offer assistance if needed -- but our Captain completed the rescue with his own crew. We then slowly made our way to the MS Explorer.

What a sad looking little ship it was -- listing to starboard with its deck rails in the water. We stood by -- with our Captain getting the MS Nordnorge to within 100 feet or so of the sinking ship.

Inside the MS Nordnorge -- our crew and medical staff were tending to the rescued passengers -- who were all placed in the comfortable salons on Deck 7.

Fredericke (one of our expedition leaders) made an announcement that these woeful MS Explorer passengers were wet and cold. If any of us would offer to give up some of our clothes -- that gesture would be a good start to the recovery of the rescued passengers. George and I immediately went to our cabins and brought up two armfuls of clothes -- just freshly washed.

We gave away socks, underwear, long underwear, shirts, pants, and sweaters. We were about fifth or sixth in line to give Fredericke our bundles -- and the long line-up behind us took probably half an hour to clear.

The MS Explorer passengers then were welcomed on board the ship by Franz -- our expedition leader. They were invited downstairs to have breakfast -- and many of us greeted them as they walked down the centre ship's staircase.

They were in total shock -- many looking dazed and disoriented.

One man said he was wearing donated socks, pants, shirt, sweater, and some lady's underwear.

They were just so glad to be aboard our ship -- and our warm welcome made them feel so much better.

As they walked through the salons in Deck 4 -- they looked out the viewing windows at their wounded, listing, and sinking ship -- the MS Explorer.

All the emotions you could imagine were vented out by the passengers.

Many were on their second or third expedition on that ship -- and had loved it dearly and felt secure. Others damned it, and were too upset to see it again from the safe vantage point of our ship.

Back outside, the MS Explorer continued to take on water. A Brazilian Navy patrol boat was steaming to the scene -- and we stood by until they arrived. The rescue had taken place in absolutely perfect conditions -- winds of five knots, and calm seas. Two hours later the winds were picking up -- and the MS Explorer was drifting quickly towards and enormous ice floe. It was perhaps only 500 metres away from the ice when the MS Nordnorge departed the scene. ...

Back on board -- our crew did three separate checks of the passenger list from the MS Explorer. There were 15 people unaccounted for -- but they had made their way to various parts of our ship -- and soon Franz announced that all passengers, expedition leaders, and crew were accounted for and safely on our ship. There was a hearty cheer and applause on board from our passengers.

During the day we met with and talked to the rescued voyagers. They were a much younger crowd than on board the MS Nordnorge. Their expedition leaders and their ship's doctor were in their early 30s. ...

The rescue was made in Antarctic Sound -- which is about a two- to three-hour sail southeast from the South Shetland Islands. Our Captain steamed back to the South Shetland Islands as there are both Chilean and Russian scientific stations on King George Island. There is an airstrip there, and facilities that will accommodate the offloading of the MS Explorer voyagers. ...

Difficult weather conditions

When we arrived at Maxwell Bay at 1330 -- the weather had really deteriorated. We have 40 knot winds, and driving snow -- which stings the eyes. The logistics to be worked out must have been enormous. Where to put up the MS Explorer passengers? How to feed them off the boat? How to pick them up and transport them away from the Antarctic? Where to take them? How to get them home? Who will pay for all of this?

At 1415 Fredericke announced to us that humpback whales were breaching on the starboard side. Much picture taking outside in the gathering storm.

By 1630 the gale has reached maximum strength -- it is hard to walk on deck. The snow has formed icy patches - and we tread carefully. The Captain runs the engines in forward at 0.5 - 1.0 knots, also using the bow thrusters to keep our ship in the same position. We are only 50 feet from a large blue white iceberg -- heading straight into the wind.

The decision is made to offload the passengers. Each person will be fully dressed for warmth, and will wear their own survival gear plus our ship's survival suits. Only eight persons at a time will be taken by Polar Cirkel boats to the landing -- where we will then need our survival suits for the next batch.

It takes until 2030 to complete the offloading. We say goodbye to each boatload -- and talk to them throughout the afternoon. The weather station gets too busy -- and there is a lull in the offloading at dinner time. Our rescue crew must be cold and exhausted -- and they need a break too.

By the time the operation is completed -- the front has mostly passed, and winds are only about 20 - 25 knots. The MS Explorer passengers are now safe -- they will get home some time -- and no one died.

Our Captain heads the MS Nordnorge back to sea -- and we steam to our next destination.

What will happen next?

Watching the sunrise from a lifeboat, Posted by Robert Paisola

During Friday's sinking of the MS Explorer in the waters of the Antarctic Ocean, the worst moment for Canadian passenger Cheryl Beck came with the captain's cry, "Abandon ship!"
"He repeated it several times," she told the Star last night from Chile's Punta Arenas, the southernmost city on Earth. "Up until that moment it hadn't really sunk in yet, and that's when it did. It really did."

Cheryl, 40, and her husband, Robert, 41, had known the ship was hitting ice that night and had felt the jolting.

But the Edmonton couple, who work for the Alberta government, were in bed and falling asleep some time early Friday morning when they heard the call for all passengers to report to the ship's lecture room.

Soon, they would find themselves in a lifeboat, soaking wet and shivering as waves washed over them and the lifeboat began to take on water. It was so crowded in their boat that some passengers were standing.

However, one of the stricken ship's Zodiacs quickly pulled alongisde and rescued the overflow of passengers from their lifeboat.

After about four hours bobbing in the grey night of the Antarctic summer, they were rescued, this time permanently, by the Norwegian cruise ship, Nord Norge. Capt. Arnvid Hansen later told Associated Press he had steamed 4 1/2 hours "full ahead" to rescue the ship before the weather could close in.

"We have to work together with the forces of nature, not against them," said the captain.

By last night, the Becks, along with other passengers and crew members, had survived rescue at sea, a night at a Chilean military base on King George Island, roughly 800 kilometres south of Chile's southern tip, and a lift from that island to the mainland in a military Hercules.

"In the end, it was quite an adventure," Cheryl Beck said. "If it's true I have nine lives, then one of my lives is used up."

Partly the thrill of adventure and partly fascination with early 20th-century explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton sent the couple on a cruise that focused on the exploits of the lengendary Antarctic adventurer and that was called the "Spirit of Shackleton."

According to Cheryl Beck, "it was a dream of ours" to join this modern-day expedition to Antarctica, run by Toronto-based G.A.P. Adventures.

Peter d'Angelo, a retired engineer from San Francisco, and his wife, Lynne, a dietitian, also dreamed about tracing Shackleton's path through Antarctica.

"They promised an adventure but I don't think they ever intended to make it this good," he told the Star last night from Punta Arenas. He said the site where the Explorer went down off King George Island wasn't that far from where Shackleton was trapped in the ice during his most famous expedition from 1914-1916.

D'Angelo was in his cabin on the starboard side early Friday when he heard a noise, like a ladder striking the ship. Quickly, his cabin began to fill with water and he hit the emergency button in his room to start the alarm. (Another passenger also alerted the crew.) Then, he and his wife pushed their belongings up onto the bed.

It is believed the ship hit ice. Early reports said it had a hole the size of a fist in its starboard bulkhead below the waterline. But d'Angelo speculates the ship sank because the ice hit an existing stress fracture. And he also believes that water got into the plumbing system, flooding the entire ship and causing it to sink.

The Explorer listed to starboard and a few hours after the accident, slipped beneath the Antarctic waters.

From the lifeboats, d'Angelo said he and his wife watched the sun come up at 3:41 a.m.
"It wasn't a bad sunrise," he said. "Not bad at all." After the Nord Norge took the ship's passengers and crew to King George Island, the Chilean military cared for them overnight Friday.

Most lost all their possessions, including clothing and camera equipment. Of the 154 passengers and crew, the Hercules carried out 77 last night. The rest will be brought out today, depending on weather.

At Punta Arenas last night, airport manager Juan Carlos Oneto greeted each passenger at the terminal with a boisterous, "Bienvenidos a Chile."

They were then taken to two local hotels where they had dinner and were given clothes and supplies.

Cheryl Beck said she and her husband plan to continue their vacation, although final plans haven't been worked out.

Other passengers have made similar decisions. The company is trying to accommodate the passengers, whether in bringing them home or in helping them with other vaction plans.
Today in Punta Arenas, company officials will take the first batch of passengers ferried in last night out shopping to replace lost items.

"The company was great," said d'Angelo. "We were all very calm because we had practised emergency drills and we did exactly what we practised. "He said that four lifeboats and four Zodiacs were deployed by the crew. D'Angelo also credited the lack of panic with the fact that, before leaving the ship, passengers were told that rescue vessels were not far away.

As well, he said a helicopter circled the lifeboats about 1 1/2 hours after they hit the water, reassuring everybody.

"We didn't feel at risk," he said.

First batch of Antarctic shipwreck survivors arrive in S Chile, Posted by Robert Paisola

Photos of Abandoned Lifeboats, Courtesy US Military

Latest News Update as of 2007-11-25 10:25:23 , Posted by Robert Paisola

About half of the more than 150 passengers and crew who survived the shipwreck of a cruise ship in Antarctica arrived in southern Chile on Saturday, local media reported.

Seventy-seven people, who were on board the Ms Explorer when the cruise liner struck ice and sank off King George Island in Antarctic seas on Friday, arrived at Punta Arenas in southern Chile by a Chilean air force plane.

The plane, Hercules, was due to set off again to ferry the remainder of those rescued. The cruiser, owned by Canadian travel company G.A.P. Adventure and built in 1969, offered tours around Antarctica at a cost of about 8,000 U.S. dollars per cabin. It sank hours after hitting the ice.

With 91 vacationers from Argentina, Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the United States and elsewhere, 54 crew members and nine other employees on board, the cruiser was a week away from completing a 19-day trip.

All the people aboard were evacuated by life rafts and were plucked up by a Norwegian cruise hours later.

They spent the night at two military bases on King George Island for flights out.

The G.A.P. company said earlier it was making arrangements to send the passengers to their respective homes.

Saturday November 24, Update on MS Explorer Disaster

Robert Paisola Interviewed bt CBS News on the GapTours.Com Adventure from Hell by CBS National- Live Video Posted

For Immediate Release
Copyright 2007 Robert Paisola

801-671-7843
The Western Capital Foundation

Hello to all of our friends around the world:

The past 24 hours have been a very difficult time for our family as we have been trying to digest exactly what happened as the Cruise Ship, The MS Explorer fell into the ocean.

We have been dealing with Kings and Chancellors and members of Congress around the world, as we have been aiming to get the real facts for our readers and most importantly, my family.

As of this moment, we know the following information that was secured by the US Miliary Base in San Diego, California, Naval Air Station, as a courtesy to our family:

-Lisa Paisola and Kay Van Horne HAVE arrived at King George Island.

-They arrived at approximately midnight local time.

-The comments that we received were that the members and staff of the passing rescue Cruise Ship, NordNorge, were EXTREMELY accommodating.

-The passengers were given a change of clothes and their old ones were washed by the crew of the Nord Norge.

-There were regular ROLL CALLS by the staff of the MS EXPLORER to ensure that every member on the passenger manifest was accounted for.

-There was approximately a four hour delay, wherein the passengers waited on the Explorer, while the ships Engineers tried to resolve the problem. They reviewed the problem and found that the water leak could never be fixed.

-Finally, the captain announced that everybody would evacuate ship.

-No Items of personal clothing, money or passports were permitted. Just the clothes on your back.

-The process of being lowered into the water onto the pontoon boats was a very cold experience, as water was flowing from the cold seas everywhere.

-The crew and staff of the MS Explorer passed out orange protective suits and life jackets to all of the passengers, as they waited for approximately four and one half hours for help to arrive.

-The passengers saw US military helicopters that had been dispatched from an American Fleet, and that sighting immediately calmed the distressed passengers down.

-In order to pass time the passengers simply imagined that they were on a whale watching expedition. They saw lots of penguins! After all...this was an adventure tour!

-We were told that there was a Danish couple who decided to get engaged while on the lifeboat. What better place, and what a story! Oh, and the couple stated that they were going someplace SUNNY for their honeymoon.

-Finally the cruise ship responded, cutting like a razor through the sheets of ice to the rescue. The Chancelor of Norway had come through, just like he promised for our family and friends. The Nordnorge had arrived.

-Information about the condition of the ship was not kept from the passengers. Information flowed freely. The passengers were able to listen to the captain of the ship talk on his radio, so they knew how long it would be until the ship arrived.

-We have been told that ALL passengers have been evaluated by Chiliean Medical Staff at the landing point in Urguay, and that all passengers were in good health...but cold.

-The landing point was the Uruguayan and Chilean Military Bases on King George Island in Antarctica.

-The Chancelor of Norway has just confirmed that there are two military planes enroute to pick up the American Refugees, to take them to the Southernmost Point of Chile, where the American Government will bring all passengers home to the United States including my sister Lisa Paisola and my aunt, Kay Van Horne.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, to the American Public for your support, and thank you to all those involved in this movie like TITANIC rescue!

Regards,

Robert Paisola

robert@mycollector.com

CEO

The Western Capital Foundation

http://www.westerncapitalfinancial.com/

For Media Inquiries Only: 801-671-7843

Paisola Family Contacts Chancelor of Norway on MS Explorer Sinking

For Immediate Release
Robert Paisola
www.Robert Paisola.com 801-671-7843
11:00 AM MST Update
We wanted to provide our world readers that we have just got off of the phone with A State Representative for the State of Ohio, the Native home of Lisa Paisola, a passenger on the MS Nord Norge. Jason Paisola was advised by the Federal Chancellor of Norway, Gerhard Schröder and King Harald V of Norway, with the help of British, American and Argentinian Officials that the estranged passengers, including our sister, Lisa Paisola and Aunt, Kay Van horne are currently enroute to King George Island where they will then be airlifted to Santiago Chile.

Updated will be posted as information becomes available.

Copyright 2007 Robert Paisola

Sinking Cruise Ship,MS EXPLPRER, Reports All Passengers Evacuated

For Immediate Release Salt Lake City, Utah Robert Paisola 801-671-7843

Robert Paisola, The CEO of US Based Western Capital, www.MyCollector.com has contacted
members of the US Military based in San Diego, California and has confirmed that the Currently Sinking Ship, the MS EXPLORER, "almost capsized"

The sister and Aunt of Mr. Paisola. Lisa Paisola and Kay Van Horne are among the passengers from the United States.

"We received a call in the middle of the night from GapTours.com stating that the ship was going down, said Patti Paisola, the mother of American, Lisa Paisola, from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Mr. Robert Paisola made an attempt to talk to the CEO of the tour company. Mr. Bruce Poon Tip, and was passed to his liaison Tony Cook, who assured the Utah Family that all 154 passengers and crew had been evacuated "Without a scratch".

"As of 8:26 AM MST the passengers, including Americans Kay Van Horne, of Denver, Colorado and Lisa Paisola. of Salt Lake City, Utah are enroute to King George Island according to our sources within the US Coast Guard". said Mr. Paisola

The members of the US Coast Guard based in San Diego, California are investigating at this point.

Copyright Robert Paisola 2007

Lisa Paisola, USA Citizen, Among those on MS Explorer that Hit Iceberg

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SISTER OF WESTERN CAPITAL CEO, ROBERT PAISOLA, AND AUNT, KAY VANHORNE AMONG THOSE AMERICANS EVACUATED FROM MS EXPLORER

Ship Sinking in Antarctic Waters from GAPTOURS.COM

HEADING TO KING GEORGE ISLAND AS OF 7:53 AM MST PER WESTERN CAPITAL

Antarctic cruise liner hits iceberg, ships rescue 150

SANTIAGO (AFP) — A cruise liner hit an iceberg off Antarctica on Friday and other ships rushed to rescue more than 150 people who took to the freezing seas in lifeboats, officials said.

The 100 passengers and most of the 54 crew from the MS Explorer were picked up safely after the Titanic-style accident near the South Shetland islands, officials from international coastguard and navy services said.

The captain and another senior officer stayed on board the Liberian-registered Explorer but it was not immediately known if it was sinking, the officials said. But problems with the ship's safety record were immediately highlighted.

Susan Hayes, vice president of marketing for Gap Adventures, which ran the tour, said the rescued passengers and crew were transferred to another ship which is in the area. "Everyone is safe and accounted for at this point," she told CNN television.

The 2,400 tonne Explorer began taking in water after it struck ice, she said. Although its pumps were managing the water, a decision was made to evacuate the passengers into life boats, she added.

A Chilean navy captain, Rodrigo Vattuone, told CNN a distress signal was raised at 12:54 am local time (0354 GMT). The ship was near King George Island, where Chile has its Teniente Marsh base.

The Chilean icebreaker Oscar Viel was on its way to the ship to help the rescue operation, Vattuone said.

The accident and ensuing operation was monitored by coast guard services in several countries.

A British coastguard spokesman, Fred Caygill, said another cruise liner, the Endeavour had taken on passengers. "All persons are accounted for," he told Britain's Sky News television.

The owners of a Norwegian vessel, the MS Nordnorge, said it had also taken on a large number. Stein Lillebo, spokesman for Hurtigruten, owners of the Nordnorge, told AFP only the officers from the Explorer were still on board the stricken ship.

"It's too early to say at this stage whether it will actually sink...but it is taking some ingress of water," Caygill said. Another spokesman earlier said the ship was listing at 25 degrees.

Weather in the area is relatively good, with the Antarctic heading from late spring into summer. The average temperature is about minus five degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit), Caygill said.

Cruise ships regularly take passengers to the remote region to view icebergs and other Antarctic natural features at this time of year.

But the specialist Lloyds List maritime publication said the Explorer had five "deficiencies" at its last inspection including problems with a watertight door.

The ship also had lifeboat maintenance problems and missing search and rescue plans, according to a report on Lloyds' website.

Watertight doors were described as "not as required," and the fire safety measures were also criticized, it said, citing an inspection done by Britain's Maritime and Coastguard Agency in May this year.

Chilean port inspectors also found six deficiencies during an inspection in Puerto Natales in March, including two related to navigation matters, it said.

In August, 17 British tourists and a Russian sailor were injured when a cruise ship, the Aleksey Maryshev, was hit by falling pieces of iceshelf in the Arctic.

It was carrying nearly 50 passengers and 19 crew at the time.