Schumacher mourns bodyguard who died in tsunami

Schumacher mourns bodyguard who died in tsunami

Seven-time world Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, who has donated US$10 million to the victims of last week's Asian tsunamis, revealed in Paris on Wednesday that one of his bodyguards died in the tragedy.

Schumacher said on his website that the bodyguard Burkhard Cramer, 44, was killed at Phuket in Thailand.

Cramer's two children Henry, five, and four-year-old Mika, are also understood to have died.

"The dawning of the New Year has not been as joyful for us this year because of the catastrophe in Asia. We sympathize with the victims in their grief," Schumacher said Tuesday after his donation pledge.

The death toll from the massive Dec. 26 earthquake and resulting tidal waves around the Indian Ocean stands at around 146,000.

Schumacher, second only to Tiger Woods on the Forbes magazine of the world's richest sportsmen last year with an annual income of US$80 million, is well known for his charitable gifts.

In 2004, he donated 1.15 million euros to UNESCO and 770,000 euros the year before.

Throughout the world, leading sports personalities have rallied to the call for help. --AFP