Wildfires Rhodes - family stranded

[strawthatbrokethecamelsback]

posting here for traffic

my brother & family are stranded in Rhodes. They have been evacuated from Mitsis Rodos Village Beach Hotel & Spa. They have nothing but the clothes on their back. All passports & documents are in the hotel.

just a awful situation for absolutely everyone, locals especially.

we have no information as to whether the hotel has been destroyed or not. If it has we’ll need to think about getting them to the embassy for emergency passports.

The insurance company are on it and are trying to help but we’re having trouble just getting through to them on the phone.

I know this is a massive long shot but does anyone have any local knowledge or any updates of what the situation is?

I won’t contact the embassy until I’m certain that passports cannot be recovered

I wouldn't leave my hotel without grabbing everything out of the room safe, which would take like 30 seconds.

They might have screenshots on their phones of passports? Really hope they're ok

1. How is that a helpful comment?

2.Hotel may have retained passports.

They may well not have been in their room. Could have been by the pool, having food/drinks, having a wander. They wouldn't have allowed you to return to your room if you weren't in there at the time.

Ok. I mean that's not what you're meant to do when the hotel is about to catch fire..

I think that Love Holiday are more just a selling site that a tour operator, so won’t be much help. I hope they are all ok.

Exactly this! They were not in their room & were not allowed to re enter the hotel. My DB said he could see the flames right behind the hotel it was that close. Just yesterday they were confined to the mountains but a wind speed & direction change as well as 40+ degrees means the fire has spread rapidly

Why are you assuming they were in their room?

Thank you for your contribution. Marvellous input.

Jeez......🙄

OP I hope they're ok. I've been following online as my friend was over there until today, for the most part it sounds like tour operators are advising tourists to follow the advice from the emergency services/hotels and are forming plans for relocation or extraction.

And if you weren't in the room like OP's family?

Doesn't help much, but from what my friend said they'll need to stay put on the beach if its safe and local authorities will arrange transport to other parts of the island. You could try dm'img love holidays for advice though

I think PP might have already posted this but there's some phone numbers here @strawthatbrokethecamelsback

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece

Heatwave and wildfires in EuropeIf you are a British national affected by wildfires in Rhodes, please follow the guidance from the emergency services. Call the Greek Emergency Services on 112 if you are in immediate danger.
The Greek government has established a Crisis Management Unit to facilitate the evacuation of foreign citizens from Rhodes. They can be contacted on +30 210 368 1730. For 24/7 British consular assistance, call +4420 7008 5000.
If you are planning to travel to Rhodes, please check with your travel operator or hotel prior to travel that the area you plan to visit is not impacted by the current wildfires.
Extreme temperatures are affecting many areas of Greece and there are a number of active wildfires including in Rhodes. Read our guidance on extreme weather and wildfires in Greece and NHS advice on coping in hot weather.
You can register on the Greek government’s Emergency Communication Service to get emergency alerts.

There's nothing you can do from here. He's safe, if stressed, and will be moved to accommodation as soon as the authorities can manage it. The embassy will sort out travel documents and the insurance company will help with repatriation if needed. Phoning the embassy, TUI etc. will just clog up their systems.

Sorry to sound heartless. I hope he and his family get moved soon.

Please try not to worry about their missing passports, tour operators have lists of all passengers and will be able to evacuate them without their documents, as it’s an emergency.

The main thing is that they are safe. Once they are home they can claim on their travel insurance for all their missing personal belongings, that’s what it’s there for.

And end up smoked like a kipper. Great take.

Aside from the fact that most people don't spend their holiday in their rooms at all times in what world could you do that in 30 seconds?

What a daft xomment

We were due to fly to that hotel tomorrow. TUI called us tonight to tell us not to fly and someone will call us tomorrow regarding refunds/changing holiday.
If they have booked with TUI I have the emergency number if needed. I know they have called staff in and are working through the night trying to sort things.

Imagine coming on a thread like this and playing make believe.

Maybe next time you can try to imagine leaving the hotel room at some point on your holiday. Work your way up to imagining life if you weren't a moonhowler.

Apparently they are setting up a stadium to put people in for the night until they can get flights out for them all.

Oh and they did say they are trying to relocate everyone tonight to other hotels on the island - it all sounds like utter chaos and hope they are safe and get sorted soon

Must be so worrying for you OP, it’s horrible knowing your loved ones are going through an ordeal and you can’t do anything practical to help them. Thinking of you and hope all is ok before too long. My relative was in a similar but different situation a few years back and I remember being so worried but powerless. Wish I could fast forward time for you.

020 3830 3111 is the overseas team at TUI if that helps