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“It is the only time that my wife and I have not been photographed during the ‘holiday’,” says Blick reader Luca Mangili (54) on Sunday morning when he talks about his odyssey to Greece. The sports teacher from Zurich and his wife Daniela Mangili (47) were looking forward to a week of beach and sea on Rhodes. But the flaming inferno on the island puts a spoke in the wheel for the pair.
Actually, the forest in the middle of the island has been on fire for a few days. The fire service has so far managed to get the fire under control. But just as the Mangilis board a plane in Zurich and head for Rhodes, the wind shifts, driving the fire straight towards tourist strongholds and villages in the south and southeast of the island.
“There was no point in staying there”
When the plane from Switzerland lands on Rhodes at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, the shock follows: “Our taxi driver said we couldn’t go to our hotel. The whole area has been cordoned off,” says Luca Mangili on the phone.
All facilities on the coast of Kiotari, which is about 55 kilometers south of the city of Rhodes, have been affected. For many tourists, the dream of a vacation in Greece in the middle of the high season turns out to be an absolute horror. Guests are taken to safety by Coast Guard buses and boats.
Mangili and his wife are still trying to find another shelter on the side not affected by the fire – but without success. “Either no one answered the phone, or the hotels were already fully booked.” In some places, the two could have stayed overnight under certain circumstances. “We actually planned a week’s vacation. It was very complicated to arrange something quickly in the evening for a week via mobile phone. That’s why we quickly realized that there was no point in staying there,” he explains.
Nine hours waiting at the airport
They immediately search online for the next return flight to Switzerland and actually secure the last seats for the Edelweiss plane, which departs at 4:25 am. “We were very lucky, because the next plane would not have flown until Monday.”
Until then, it means wait. “The airport was full of tourists. We managed to get two seats in the hall and therefore didn’t want to leave the building. The situation was very chaotic. Many people slept on the floor, others stood in a long line to get information. Some were nervous. Some tourists were yelling at their tour operators.” The situation was especially stressful for parents with children, Mangili describes his observations. “At least the air conditioning worked and you could also arrange food.”
“The woman only had a life jacket in her hand”
When the residents of Zurich finally lined up at the check-in desk to check in their bags, they saw a couple standing in line right in front of them. “The two were standing there without luggage. They only had a wallet with them. The woman, who was still wearing a beach towel over her shoulder, had a life jacket in one hand.”
Magili suspects that the two are among the evacuated hotel guests who were not allowed to take their suitcases on the lifeboat. “It was impressive and I felt sorry for them. The poor had to cut short their vacations and probably don’t know if they’ll ever see their belongings again.”
The couple were not the only ones who landed at the airport with no luggage and only a beach towel. “While waiting for our return flight, we struck up a conversation with other passengers. They told us that many hotel guests were sometimes gathered on the beach and then evacuated by boat or bus. Unfortunately, some couldn’t take their bags with them and had to leave them in the hotel room or on the beach because there was no space on the boat.”
Largest evacuation operation in Greece
By Sunday morning, 19,000 tourists and residents had been evacuated from villages and hotels in the southeast of the island, according to Greek authorities. It would be the largest evacuation operation ever carried out in Greece.
Videos posted on social media show crowds with suitcases and children running around in hopes of finding rescue. Many people had to sleep outside under the open sky.
Meanwhile, the fires continue to rage. There is no relaxation in sight for Sunday either – especially because it is expected that the wind will continue to blow strongly: a spokesperson for the fire service spoke to state broadcaster ERT from three major fronts. These are fires around Kiotari, the village of Apollona and the Gadoura reservoir.
The Magili couple was able to save themselves from the blaze in time. “In the beginning there was a lot of frustration because of the canceled holiday, but in the end we are happy that we are safe,” says the man after his arrival in Zurich on Sunday morning.
It is unclear whether they somehow get back the money for the flight and the hotel. The two do not yet know what they will do with the remaining six vacation days. “For the first time we want to catch up on some sleep from the hardships at the airport, then we’ll see.”
All further information about the extreme heat wave and the consequences can be found in our live ticker.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
