TWELVE years ago a school trip to Greece ended in disaster when the cruise ship, Jupiter, crashed and sank in the Mediterranean.

Sixteen girls, one boy and 12 parents and teachers from Cator Park School in Lennard Road, Beckenham, were on board. Four people died when it went down.

Now those who clung on for their lives have been asked to help with an American documentary.

Last month 79 people died when the Express Samina went down when it hit rocks off the island of Paros and this has prompted a Hollywood company to examine the safety of Greek ships.

Adams County Productions is due to screen the programme, Modern Ship Sinkings, in America next year.

The sinking of Jupiter and five other vessels will be examined in the documentary which finds 67 Greek boats to be unsafe.

Jupiter went down after it left the port of Piraeus. It collided with the Italian car carrier, Adige, and a hole was torn into its hull.

It sank in 40 minutes, plummeting 270 ft to the sea bed. Two crew members died and a child and a teacher (not from Cator Park) were never found.

Former Cator Park teacher, Mary Campion wrote a book on the tragedy last year. She said: "It highlights the need for any recommendations made after the Jupiter disaster to be made public via the International Maritime Organisation."