Panorama.am

13:58 16/09/06

HERO SAVING 20 LIVES TO VISIT ARMENIA TOMORROW

Thirty years ago on the same day, September 16, one of
the most tragic car accidents took place in Yerevan –
a trolleybus, full of passengers, lost control and
went into Yerevan Lake. At that moment, Shavarsh
Karapetyan, multiple champion of Europe in underwater
swimming, and his brother, Kamo Karapetyan, master of
international rank, were training near the lake.
Shavarsh Karapetyan managed to save the lives of 20
passengers diving into the water without diving
clothes. Of coarse, he could not save everyone. About
seven dozens people were killed in the accident.

The fatal accident was kept secret under the Soviet
regime and people learned about it only years ago. The
heroic deed of Shavarsh Karapetyan cost him a lot –
Karapetyan had to quit the great sport. However,
Shavarsh Karapetyan became known to people as a real
hero. Neither the Soviet Union, nor Independent
Armenia gave credits to the deed of the sportsman and
did not award him the title of hero. Moreover, in mid
1990s Shavarsh Karapetyan had to leave Yerevan and
reside in Moscow where he currently lives and has a
small shoes repair service. Tomorrow, it is expected
that Shavarsh Karapetyan will again visit his
Motherland. /Panorama.am/