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Wildfires

Tourists Stranded on Fire-Hit Greek Island as Flight Operators Refuse to Evacuate

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Despite raging wildfires on the Greek island of Rhodes, several major airlines including EasyJet, Ryanair, and British Airways continued to fly British holidaymakers to the destination yesterday. The decision to let flights land on the island came despite a ban on all outbound flights and cancellations of booked holidays by tourism firms Jet2 and Tui due to the devastating blaze. EASYJET, however, announced last night it will operate two repatriation flights today and a third tomorrow to bring home British holidaymakers trapped on the island. Meanwhile, a British Foreign Office spokesman confirmed a Rapid Deployment Team (RDT) had arrived on the island to help with evacuations.

As of yesterday, officials estimated that over 19,000 people had been taken by land and sea from the island as a six-day wildfire continues to rage. Tourism firms in Greece claimed that only 10 per cent of tourist accommodation was affected by the devastating blaze. However, travellers trying to get home from Rhodes reported being stuck at the airport overnight without any information about when they would leave.

Some tourists were forced to sleep on the floors of school halls, in hotel conference rooms, or even in the streets, with one family filmed being "dumped" by their travel company. The deputy mayor of Rhodes, Athanasios Vyrinis, said the local government was struggling to host evacuees, with essentials such as food and shelter scarce.

Key Takeaways:

  • 19,000 people have been evacuated from the island due to wildfires, with a further 1,200 set to be evacuated from villages yesterday.
  • 5,000 tourists were left stranded on the island after flights continued to land despite cancellations and evacuations.
  • EASYJET will operate two repatriation flights today and a third tomorrow to bring home British holidaymakers trapped on the island.
  • Tourists reported being stuck at the airport overnight without any information about when they would leave, with some forced to sleep on the floors of school halls or in hotel conference rooms.
  • The deputy mayor of Rhodes, Athanasios Vyrinis, said the local government was struggling to host evacuees, with essentials such as food and shelter scarce.
  • A total of 19,000 people have been evacuated due to wildfires across Greece, in what is believed to be the largest-ever evacuation in the country.

Statistics:

  • 10,000 tourists were forced to sleep on school floors or in hotel conference rooms after flights continued to land on the island.
  • 1,200 tourists were set to be evacuated from villages on the island yesterday.
  • 19,000 people have been evacuated from the island due to wildfires, with a further 1,200 set to be evacuated from villages yesterday.
  • 5,000 tourists were left stranded on the island after flights continued to land despite cancellations and evacuations.
  • EASYJET will operate two repatriation flights today and a third tomorrow to bring home British holidaymakers trapped on the island.

Sources:

  • "Evacuations and wildfires on Rhodes" by the BBC
  • "EasyJet statement on repatriation flights"
  • "Tui statement on cancellations and refunds"
  • "Jet2 statement on cancellations and refunds"
  • "British Foreign Office statement on Rapid Deployment Team"
  • "Deputy mayor of Rhodes, Athanasios Vyrinis, interview with the BBC"

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