Hundreds of Czechs still unaccounted for in Southeast Asia

Following Sunday's tsunami disaster, the number of Czechs unaccounted for in Southeast Asia has fallen from a previous 381 to 263, according to information from the Czech foreign ministry. The number is still likely to change. As many as 1,000 Czechs were vacationing or travelling in parts of Southeast Asia when the deadly tsunamis struck.

Foreign ministry officials believe the majority of those still unaccounted for are safe but unable to contact relatives due to damaged telephone lines and infrastructure. At the same time accidental death can not be ruled out.

Though no Czechs have been reported as having died as a result of Sunday's disaster, the foreign ministry has said it is considering the circumstances of at least eight missing persons' cases as "grave".