The moon is but a faint sliver on this early July morning and, without its glow, sky and sea meld into a darkness so deep that before John Hamilton can clearly see the people he has come to save, he can smell them.
It is the sour stench of human misery. Of sweat, urine, vomit, blood.
He prays it is not also the smell of death.
At sunrise the previous day, Hamilton stood on the bridge of his vessel, the Topaz Responder, and took in panoramic views of the fortified Maltese capital of Valletta. Night gave way to the sight of centuries-old limestone buildings bathed in fiery hues. Ahead lay the opening to the Mediterranean Sea, shimmering in the morning’s new light.
The air was balmy; the waters almost glass still. Perfect for beachgoers and boaters — but not so for Hamilton. For him, these conditions bode danger.
getty images:
What Has Changed Since The WDBJ Shooting One Year Ago:
On Friday morning the Roanoke, Virginia television station WDBJ will mark the one year anniversary of Alison Parker and Adam Ward’s deaths with a moment of silence on the air.
There will be off-air tributes at the station as well. WDBJ is a changed newsroom after the televised ambush by an ex-employee that left Parker and Ward dead on Aug. 26, 2015.
Ward was operating the camera and Parker was in the middle of a live report at a local tourism destination, Smith Mountain Lake, when the gunman approached. Both journalists were killed at point blank range. The tourism official Parker was interviewing, Vicki Gardner, survived, but was seriously injured.
The attack represented the first deaths of journalists on assignment in the United States in almost a decade.
Source: Harry How / Getty
Ryan Lochte Charged By Brazilian Authorities:
US swimmer Ryan Lochte has been charged with falsely reporting a crime, Rio police said Thursday.
Source: Alex Wong / Getty
Clinton Faces Big Challenges In State Obama Won Twice:
Donald Trump continues to trail in key swing states, but that has not been the case in Nevada, a state that helped him clinch the Republican nomination.
Source: Scott Olson / Getty
How Trump’s Health Smear Of Clinton Backfired:
Did Donald Trump actually believe that raising baseless accusations about the health of Hillary Clinton, who is two years his junior, will somehow cause people to stop supporting her and side with him or a third party candidate?
5 Things To Know For Your New Day — Friday, August 26 was originally published on praisecleveland.com
