They are trying to paint a picture of the incident which makes it interesting and brings home the tragedy to their viewers or readers. The most important part of the story is the human element - or people. The media work under tremendous pressure and it is often their junior staff who will be sent to cover this sort of story. The media have only limited space to cover your story. They will be looking for an 'angle', or the most newsworthy aspect of the incident.
Most television stories are under a minute long.
Many victims are disappointed that so little of what they have said is used - it helps if you understand the space limitations of news stories. The media are looking for information which personalises the victim, some facts about them, and a few short comments from either a victim or relatives. If you are contacted by the media and are unsure about talking, ask for some breathing space. Use this time to gather your thoughts, weigh up arguments for and against doing an interview, or seek advice. There is no law which says you have to talk to the media.