Drone Postcard from Chernobyl

[rhythmworx]

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to visit Chernobyl whilst working for CBS News on a '60 Minutes' episode which aired on Nov. 23, 2014. Bob Simon is the correspondent. Michael Gavshon and David Levine, producers.

For the full story cbsnews.com/news/chernobyl-the-catastrophe-that-never-ended/

----> ***Soundtrack 'Promise land' by Hannah Miller - licensed on themusicbed.com

Chernobyl is one of the most interesting and dangerous places I've been. The nuclear disaster, which happened in 1986 (the year after I was born), had an effect on so many people, including my family when we lived in Italy. The nuclear dust clouds swept westward towards us. The Italian police went round and threw away all the local produce and my mother rushed out to purchase as much tinned milk as possible to feed me, her infant son.

It caused so much distress hundreds of miles away, so I can't imagine how terrifying it would have been for the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian citizens who were forced to evacuate.

During my stay, I met so many amazing people, one of whom was my guide Yevgen, also known as a 'Stalker'. We spent the week together exploring Chernobyl and the nearby abandoned city of Pripyat. There was something serene, yet highly disturbing about this place. Time has stood still and there are memories of past happenings floating around us.

Armed with a camera and a dosimeter geiger counter I explored...

dannycooke.co.uk Follow me on twitter @dannycooke

Shot using DJI Phantom 2 (GoPro3+) and Canon 7D

Edited November 30, 2014 by rhythmworx

[Rob8891]

I saw this video on a newsfeed on my phone last week (I think!). I thought it was stunning at the time, and equally so now on watching it again....a frightening beauty about it. There was also a news report to say that brown bears have been see in the area: I hope they survive OK, whilst it was quoted that the worst of the areas will remain radioctive for humans for 20,000 (did I miss a 0 off that?) years.

I trust the GoPro didn't become a GlowPro after that assignment!

Thanks for sharing!

[T_Dog]

Well done video, and I happened to watch that 60 Minutes episode yesterday. Saw another news story from a year ago where the engines and other parts from contaminated vehicles were being removed and sold as parts. Did you see any evidence of that?

[rhythmworx]

Sorry T-Dog I had no part in the making of that video, seems I may have given that impression by the text I copied and pasted to accompany the video.

I found the video late last night and this morning have been reading up on things about it.

Heres a link to 285 photos which look like they were took in a radioactive zone as everything is abandoned. Well worth a view IMO there is a certain unique look to the images. http://www.flickriver.com/photos/kiekmal/tags/abandoned/

Also I found an interesting press conference you might care to view <iframe src="http://www.disclose.tv/embed/71522" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>

[MJP]

Not Thai related.

[MJP]

Only joking. Moved to . . . The Rest of the World Sub-forum . . . no wait . . . it's not there yet.

[rhythmworx]

Thanks for bringing that up MJP, I was thinking about that matter this morning.

I don't want to start a discussion via the forum but was debating PM'ing Oilinki to mention it to Baron Greenback.

There really should be a General non Thai related catergogoary in the photo section.

[MJP]

Thanks for bringing that up MJP, I was thinking about that matter this morning.

I don't want to start a discussion via the forum but was debating PM'ing Oilinki to mention it to Baron Greenback.

There really should be a General non Thai related catergogoary in the photo section.

Oh hell yes!

[Assurancetourix]

I never went to Chernobyl ;

but I knew some engineers who are working since many years on the site;

They are from Italy, Great Britain, France and they live in a new city , not very far from, which name is Slavutych ;

These engineers go to Chernobyl crossing every week Belarus border because it's the shortest way ...

https://www.google.co.th/maps/@51.6919053,30.9927723,9z

I went to Slavutych in june 2005 with a friend of mine in his car from Paris - France ; about 2,500 kilometers we did in two days ; crossing south Germany and Poland .( Lancia 2,500 Diesel , a very good car )

I have some photos from that journey;

they are on a DVD RW but my CD-Rom drive has some problems...

Hope I can find rapidly a solution .