Terrified Britons trapped because ‘UK didn’t ask rescuers to save them’
FOUR Britons have been left stranded without food or power on a Caribbean island devastated by Hurricane Irma – because the Foreign Office failed to ask for them to be evacuated.
The two couples were forced to watch helplessly as they were left behind on St Maarten while US citizens were flown out.
Liz Jackson, 33, and Craig Guest, 34, from Barnsley, described troops shooting looters as the island descended into lawlessness. It is now braced for further devastation from Hurricane Jose.
Ms Jackson’s brother, Andrew, told the MoS: ‘I have spoken to Liz. She said there is no food, no water and no power left on their phones or on the island.
‘I called the Foreign Office myself and they said to us they
‘There’s no British presence at all’
can’t do anything until Monday, which is just ridiculous. No-one seems to be bothered. They don’t care. They’ve just left them at the mercy of the next hurricane.
‘They were taken from their hotel to the airport but once they got there Dutch military officials said they were not flying British people out. The Dutch military basically said, “we are only helping Americans”.
‘It’s unbelievable. There’s no UK presence at all.’
As the British Government’s woeful relief efforts provoked fury, the Dutch authorities revealed that the Foreign Office had not even asked for Brits to be brought out.
A spokesman for the Dutch Ministry of the Interior said: ‘The Americans contacted us very early to arrange for their planes to come to the island and rescue American nationals. But we have not heard from the British and no British planes have arrived on the island.
‘I would advise British civil servants to get in touch with us. We are trying to encourage the Americans to let other nationalities on their planes.’
Other British relatives were still urgently trying to contact missing family members from the devastated islands last night. Among those waiting for news was Sarah Thompson, 38, a lawyer from London, who has had no contact with her husband Christian, 43, since the hurricane hit their home in Tortola on Wednesday. ‘We have not slept, we are desperate with worry,’ said Mrs Thomspon, who returned to the UK last week.
There were also fears for the safety of Jackie Cameron, 58, and her husband David, who is in his 60s, who have lived on Tortola for three decades.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We are doing all we can to help those affected by Hurricane Irma. We urge British residents and visitors in the affected area to closely monitor Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice, and follow the instructions of local authorities. Those on holiday in affected areas should contact their tour operator or airline.’
The FCO hotline for those concerned about family affected by Irma is 020 7008 0000.