Italian Cruise Runs Aground and Sinks: Magician On Board

[Richard Kaufman]

According to this report on CNN's website, the Italian cruise ship that ran aground in Italy had a magician on board:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/14/world/eur ... ?hpt=hp_t1

Anyone know who it is?

[Richard Kaufman]

The New York Times coverage also talks about the magician:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/world ... ml?_r=1&hp

[Leonard Hevia]

The ship is now almost completely under the water. I fear his Zig-Zag illusion went to the bottom.

[Richard Hatch]

A google search on the ship and "mago" indicated it may be an Italian magician who calls himself "Mago Martin". He has worked that ship in the past.

[Richard Kaufman]

I wonder if he got out? I think there are almost 70 people still missing. Sounds like a real screw up by the crew from the way the passengers are describing the delay in the launching of the lifeboats.

[Marco Pusterla]

Hi all!

yes, Mago Martin was on the ship and he luckily is safe. A friend of mine talked to him this morning (Saturday, Italian time) and posted some comments on an Italian magic mailing list ("Il Sortilegio").

Basically, Martin was in the ship's theatre when the ship inclined 20% and he said that was total panic as many of the guests were still in the restaurants. Martin has a long experience cruising and understood immediately that something was wrong, although the ship's officers were saying that it was nothing to worry about. He explained that his illusions with wheels started to run away and they all crashed on a side... Martin ran away to wear one of the safety (?) jackets. He has lost all his illusion on the ship but he's safe, along with his wife, and was travelling back home.

Martin's web site is: http://www.magicmartin.net/

What a tragic accident! Martin was lucky, also thanks to his long experience on cruises, but sadly this is not the case for many other people :(

[IrishMagicNews]

Just saw on Facebook that his girl was from Blackpool.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-la ... e-16568850

[Richard Kaufman]

And here is Mago Martin's promo video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxcIC61F7Rg

[Steve Hook]

Can anyone verify the news story today about the Cutting The Woman In Half performance?

[IrishMagicNews]

Steve, not sure about that but there was an interview on ITV News with the dancer.

http://www.itv.com/granada/surving-ships-sinking47346/

[Simone M]

the italian newspaper confirmed that the girl was indeed in the zigzag box (described by the journalist as the "coffin") ready to get cut when the incident happened and she started to scream "Let me out" to the magician. Luckly he was able to get her out of the box and they made their way to the cabin to get their lifejackets.

Spectators said at first they thought the shaking was part of the magic show.

[IrishMagicNews]

I am, as we speak, watching a great documentary on The Uk's Ch4 about this story.

It features quite a bit of interview footage with the magicians assistant from Blackpool. I will find a link on "Ch4 catch up" in due course.

I am outside the UK and can watch the Ch4 Catch Up so hopefully those of you in the States and further afield will be able to also.

B