VIRUS LEAVES GLASGOW GIRL TRAPPED OVER IN PERU
AMegan Follen, 19, from Springboig, is stuck in the South American country after it closed its borders in a nationwide coronavirus lockdown. She is stuck alongside nearly 200 other Britons in Peru who have received “no support” from the UK Government. She blasted the British Embassy in Peru’s response to the situation.
“They should be open, that’s their job – to support the travellers that are in that country.
“There has been no word from them, it’s their job to help and they haven’t provided anything,” she said.
The embassy in Peru is working remotely and Megan claims it is “impossible” to get a hold of them.
She was due to fly out of the country on Saturday but this has now been cancelled.
Even had the flight went ahead, she would have had no way of getting to the airport as the army has blocked streets and her family claim police are “threatening” anyone who breaks the country’s draconian lockdown measures by venturing outside.
“I don’t know when I can get home, so I might need to wait for the lockdown to be lifted,” she said.
Megan’s sister Natasha told the Glasgow Times, the 19-year-old had “worked her a*** off” to save up the £2000 she had spent on her world trip.
The college student from Springboig had balanced work with her studies to make the once-in-a-lifetime trip, which she is worried has now been wasted.
She said: “All anyone wants to do now is get home.
“We want them to organise a flight home and for transport to get us to the airport.”
Her family has been in contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which said there was no financial support for Britons stuck in Peru and told Megan to keep checking the Government’s advice online.
David Linden, MP for Glasgow East, said: “We’re doing absolutely everything that we can to liaise with ministers here, to make sure we can get assistance for Megan and her family.
“I understand how distressing this is for them, so it is something I am working on today.”
In response to a question from Emily Thornberry in the House of Commons yesterday, the Foreign Secretary said: “The first thing to say is to avoid travel if you might find yourself in a situation, either because of current or future measures, in which you are unable to get back home.
“We are liaising with the tour operators and the airlines to make sure that even when restrictions are in place there is a window of opportunity to get out with commercial flights.
“We do not have precise numbers, but given the volume of British nationals who are abroad—not necessarily permanently or living abroad, but travelling abroad—to expect that the Government can repatriate them all is unrealistic.”