One of our own was trapped in Mumbia and took the time to write down his experience just before he left the country. Even though it is short, it gives a pretty good description of his harrowing experience. I don’t normally put things up like this, but in these unique times, it is best we stay informed of what we may experience. Like it or not, there are people who have issues with citizens of the free world, especially Americans.
This is why we have an “Emergency” section that displays the phone number and location of the Embassy, Police, and Fire Brigade on most of our cities on the “City” page. Just as you brief your crews on where to meet if there is an emergency on your layover, you should know where to find safety in any situation that may arise, no matter where you stay.
“It is now 3:15 am EST and I am near the Mumbai airport. I should be getting
on a plane in the next several hours to come home. . . with nothing but the
clothes on my back. I believe the fire in the Taj took all my belongings,
only a few of which were precious to me. I write notes to my girls and keep
them in my flight case, and they may or may … Read Morenot be recovered
later. Still too “hot” in more than one way to think about retrieving any
items. No passport, no uniform no airline ID, no computer, (this one is
borrowed),no suitcase, no flight case, but I am thankful. . .for the gift of
being ab le to come home and hug my girls. My daughters don’t really know
what happened and I prefer it that way, so please use discretion if talking
to them. I heard a lot of explosions, and gunfire, and had eaten at
Leopold’s a few hours earlier. The other First officer had been in his room
when the trouble broke out. He hunkered down for a while until the fire got
too close, then made a break for it.
Fortunately all xxx crews are accounted for and xxx has done a very good
job communicating with us and assisting from headquarters. I pretty much hid
for several hours in a cheap little hotel so as to stay out of sight (big
white guy draws attention) as I was not sure the streets were safe. At any
rate, I am coming home with no bags to check… Read More. Pray that India
and Pakistan doesn’t get violent in the next several hours at least. Also
pray for the hostages in the TAJ, as well as a couple xxx pilots still
unaccounted for that were staying at the Oberoy. That’s all for now. This is
pretty surreal!”
Tags: Emergency, Kidnap, Safety, Terrorist, travel, Travel Emergency, Travel Safety