Cruise Ship Law

SANTORINI, Greece -- Students from Palmetto High School in Miami were among the 1,600 passengers aboard a Greek cruise ship that sank on Friday.

Sources told NBC 6 that the students made it off the ship safely.

The ship's final moments above water were caught on tape.

Two French passengers were missing after the Sea Diamond was evacuated, NBC News reported.

The Merchant Marine Ministry said 1,195 passengers -- most of them from North America -- and 391 crew members were on board. About 20 crew members remained on the ship after the three-hour evacuation.

The ship ran aground on Thursday off the Greek island, forcing everyone on board to abandon ship.

Hours later, the ship sank to the bottom of the Aegean Sea.

No one was injured in the evacuation.

The sinking's cause is still under investigation, authorities said.

"We were in our room and we were expecting an alarm if there was a problem," said passenger Katie Sumner. "We heard a big shudder and then the whole boat started to tilt. All of our glasses were sliding everywhere and our warning that the ship was sinking was some of the staff running down the corridor screaming out 'life jackets' and banging on doors."

"I heard a noise, and it was a loud noise, of course," Tom Gatch, a passenger aboard the ship, said. "Then, I stepped out of my cabin and looked and the water was coming down the hallways, and I thought, 'I have to go back inside to get my life jacket ,' but I had to open the door and I didn't have time because now the water was up over my ankles."

Back in South Florida, the Laguerre family prayed that their daughter Arielle was safe. The 11th grader was part of a group from Palmetto Senior High School that was on that cruise.

"I don't know if there are any words at this point to share exactly what we were going through: fear, anxiety," Clifford Laguerre said. "You just want your children to be safe."

Officials said luckily all the passengers are OK and currently back in Athens waiting to fly home.

"Thank God for cell phones," Laguerre said. "It basically was a lifesaver. She was able to text message home and send some information. That relieved our fears."

NBC6.net, South Florida