Scathing attacks on the insensitive way in which some UK officials dealt with British survivors of the Asian tsunami have been disclosed for the first time.
In the new independent report, some survivors describe the actions of British embassy officials in the area as unhelpful, "superior" and selfish.
About 300,000 people died - including 151 Britons - on December 26 2004, when the devastating waves wreaked havoc on Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Hundreds of thousands of people managed to escape, many were badly injured and in shock.
Nearly two years on, the experiences of those who survived and those in the UK desperately trying to find loved ones were published in the review by the National Audit Office.
The report found that the UK agencies were initially "overwhelmed" by the unprecedented scale of the disaster.
It concluded that while some of the immediate assistance was good, much of it was "piecemeal, inconsistent and inadequate".
Produced in conjunction with the Zito Trust, which supports family who lose a relative in sudden circumstances, 116 people were interviewed for the report.
While the events were recalled with complete clarity, some of the strongest language was reserved for UK officials. Although there was a mixed response, the NAO report found people's comments "generally negative".
One respondent wrote: "British Consulate members were on holiday in the area. After the tsunami they sat in our guest house which was just out of reach of the tsunami, they didn't help anyone in any way, they sat there and got drunk until a minibus they called for arrived."
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