"We moved our sunbeds up the beach and the next minute they were floating away. We were ready to jump up a tree to escape.
"Two people had to jump when the waves flooded a pier which was about seven foot high.
"We were being ferried to safety this morning when our rescue boat broke down. We had to sit on a sandbank until will could be rescued by seaplane. There was only room for 19 people - one of our party had to remain behind."
A second flight bringing British holidaymakers back from the Maldives landed at the airport at around 7.30am.
* AN APPRENTICE electrician was hailed a hero yesterday for saving the life of his 16-year-old girlfriend.
Gillian Connolly said Jonnie Brennan, from Kirkby, saved the life of her only child Siobhan, 16, when the tidal wave crashed into the Sri Lankan resort of Ben Tota.
Jonnie, his 18-year-old brother Gerard and girlfriend Siobhan, from Dingle, were on the tropical island for a wedding when the disaster struck.
Ms Connolly, from Kedleston Street, Dingle, said: "She and Gerard were in bed and Jonnie banged on the door shouting at them to get out. But for him, my child would now be dead."
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