WHERE’S MY SARA?
She was on London Bridge when terrorists struck. Now her Coast dad waits desperately for news
THE daughter of a Gold Coast man hasn’t been heard from since she was caught up in the London terrror attack. Sara Zelenak, whose father is Ondre Zelenak, right, was last seen on London Bridge and witnessed the attacks before becoming separated from friends. Family spokesman Mark Wallace said: “I feel terrible, I can’t think. She’s been gone for 48 hours and no one has seen or heard from her.” ELLEN WHINNETT
A GOLD Coast father is desperately waiting for news of his daughter who was caught up in the London terror attack and hasn’t been heard from since.
Ondre Zelenak’s daughter Sara was meant to be babysitting before a last-minute change of plans put her right in the midst of the attack.
Family spokesman Mark Wallace, Sara’s stepfather, said she hadn’t been heard from for 48 hours and authorities had not been able to shed any light on her whereabouts.
Desperate friends and family took to social media to appeal for information about the 21-year-old Brisbane woman.
Posts, which had been shared hundreds of times, said she was last seen on London Bridge and had witnessed the attacks before becoming separated from friends.
“I feel terrible, I can’t think,” Mr Wallace said last night.
“Authorities in London can’t give any information.
“She’s been gone for 48 hours and no one has seen or heard from her.”
Mr Wallace said Sara’s mother, Julie Wallace, was leaving Australia “first thing” in the morning to try to find her daughter in London.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said four Aussies had been affected by the attack.
They include two people with Coast links – Brisbane’s Candice Hedge, 34, who remains in hospital, and Andrew Morrison, of Darwin, who is on his way back to Australia.
There were no details from the government about the fourth person nor Ms Zelenak, but Mr Turnbull and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said the government had “very real concern” about them.
In a message posted on Facebook, a friend of Ms Zelenak asked for help.
“One of my best friends, Sara Zelenak, was last seen on London Bridge and was witness to the terror attacks,’’ the message said.
“She got separated from her friends and has not been seen since. Her phone has rung with no reply and now the battery must have gone.
“She is Australian aged 21 with long blonde hair. She calls her mum daily. It’s been over 24 hours with no news from the consulate. She is based in London. Please help us find her. I hope she is OK.’’
Ms Bishop said Australian diplomatic officials were working with authorities in London.
“We do hold grave concerns for them,’’ she said, without commenting on whether the Australians were missing, or being treated in hospital.
Ex-Gold Coaster Andrew Morrison, 28, was stabbed in the neck. His father, David Morrison of Robina, spent several frantic hours trying to make contact, not knowing if his son had been involved.
Mr Morrison said he and his wife Irene were left in limbo until they received a FaceTime call on Sunday morning.
“It was Andrews, telling us he had been stabbed by a terrorist,” he said.
“Myself and his mum were just frantic ... he lost his phone.
“We got the call yesterday morning as he was lying in hospital. An Australian girl in the hospital gave him her phone. He just said to us ‘don’t panic, I’m OK, I’ve been stabbed’.”
The Robina local said his son, who was holidaying in London while on break as an oil rig electrician, ran from his attacker before seeking refuge in a nearby pub.
Meanwhile the Gold Coast father of Candice Hedge said he was relieved his daughter was going to be okay.
It took Ross Hedge eight hours to get in touch with his daughter, who has been living in London for six months.
Mr Hedge said she hid behind a table just as the attackers were leaving the restaurant, “and saw her at the last minute and came back” for her. It’s understood she had her back to the man and he came up behind her, grabbed her head and slashed her throat.
She was briefly in a coma but is now awake and speaking with friends.
Mr Hedge, said she had suffered “no major damage”.
“She’s just got a stab wound to the throat somewhere, but it’s all good,” he said. “There’s no major damage. She’s very lucky. She was terrified of course.”