Colorado Storm Chasers Among Victims of Oklahoma Tornado

EL RENO, Okla. (AP) — Three veteran storm chasers from Colorado were among the 10 people killed when a violent tornado barreled into the Oklahoma City metro area.

Jim Samaras said yesterday that his brother Tim Samaras, Tim's son Paul and another chaser, Carl Young, were among 13 people killed by the tornado, which hit Oklahoma City and its suburbs. The three died Friday night near El Reno when an EF3 tornado with winds up to 165 mph hit the Oklahoma City area during rush hour.

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said that the three men's deaths are believed to be the first among scientific researchers while chasing tornadoes.

Tim and his Twistex chase team produced storm-chasing material for the Discovery Channel, National Geographic and for weather researchers at meteorological conferences. The Discovery Channel had featured Tim on it show Storm Chasers until last year. But Tim's brother, Jim Samaras, told AP,

He looked at tornadoes not for the spotlight of TV but for the scientific aspect. At the end of the day, he wanted to save lives and he gave the ultimate sacrifice for that.