1.
GV French warship "Etoile Polaire" steaming towards Djibouti
0.08

2.
SV Cameraman
0.10

3.
GV PAN from ships at anchor to warship approaching wharf
0.21

4.
SV PAN ship coming in alongside wharf (2 shots)
0.38

5.
SV's newsmen
0.40

6.
GV French official boarding warship and meeting officials
0.48

7.
SV French flag on stern ZOOM into ship's name
0.51

8.
SV Sailors bringing luggage off ship followed by officers and women. (2 shots)
1.01

9.
SV Luggage on wharf ZOOM in to grandson's officer's hat
1.04

10.
SV Franch officials and Selassie's grandson leave ship
1.18



Initials TH/VS 17.19/TH/VS 17.34



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Rear-Admiral Iskander Desta, grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, arrived in the Territory of Afars and Issas - which neighbours Ethiopia - on Friday (March 1st). The Admiral had fled Ethiopia's main Red Sea naval base at Massawa after navy units there rebelled.

An official spokesman in Djibouti said the French Navy minesweeper "Etoile Polaire" picked up Prince Desta and four members of his staff after they had sent a distress message from their beat saying it had run out of fuel after several hours at sea. Massawa is 500 miles (800 kms) north of Afars and Issas.

The Admiral is Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ethiopian Imperial Navy and is in line to the throne. Throughout the rebellion, which spread to all three branches of the country's armed forces, the troops swere their loyalty to the Emperor, who has ruled Ethiopia for 58 years.

Prince Desta is expected to stay in Djibouti, capital of the Afars and Issas, for a few days before leaving to join other members of his family in the Ethiopian town of Harar east of Addis Ababa.