Pupils devastated as flight grounded by attempted coup
School children have been left devastated after an eight-day trip to help vulnerable children in Kenya was cancelled at the last minute because of the attempted military coup in Turkey.
Pupils from The Holmesdale School in Snodland had each raised £1,500 over the past 18 months to take part in the volunteering adventure in the African country’s fourth largest city Nakuru.
However, they arrived at Heathrow on Saturday to fly out via Istanbul only to find theirs was one of more than 30 flights cancelled by Turkish Airlines amidst chaotic scenes at Ataturk Airport.
Rogue military units staged a massive operation on Friday night in an attempt to topple president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They blockaded roads, airports and other key areas in the Turk- ish capital and surrounded the presidential palace in Ankara. More than 1,000 people were wounded and 232 killed in the fighting.
The group of 28, along with three members of staff at the Malling Road school, had been due to work with deprived children and help in local building projects.
Andrea Howatson is mum to 16-year-old pupil Niamh, who helped collect three bags of presents and other treats for the children.
The Maxwell Road, Allington, resident said: “My daughter is really upset.
“She and others have done so much work towards going on this trip. I am a single mum and it has been tough to help raise all that money.
“I just don’t think I can afford to do it again.”
Lee Downey, head of applied learning at The Holmesdale School, said while the cost of the flights would be refunded it is unclear whether the group’s insurance would cover the lion’s share of the expenses.
He said: “We share the disappointment that the parents have and we want this to go ahead and we are trying everything we can to make this happen.”
A spokesman for African Adventures, which arranged the trip, added: “We are exploring other avenues and seeing whether we might be able to organise a different date to go out to Kenya so the children can have the experience they have been looking forward to.”