Rhodes wildfires: British tourist says trying to escape the flames ‘was literally like the end of the world’
Escaping the wildfires in Rhodes felt like “the end of the world”, a British tourist has told Sky News.
Extreme heat has triggered a number of fires across the region, with the countryside on the island burning for the past five days.
The Greek government says 19,000 people have been evacuated – 16,000 by land and 3,000 by sea – in what it describes as the “largest ever” wildfire evacuation in Greece’s history.
A number of locations on the east of the island have been evacuated, including three seaside resorts.
Holidaymakers evacuated; situation expected to get worse in 45C heat – latest on Rhodes wildfires
Around 2,000 tourists have been evacuated from Kiotari and Lardos on the island’s south east coast.
A new alert is in place for Lindos, a town popular with tourists and famed for its hilltop acropolis which has its roots back as far as 300BC, as well as the villages of Massari, Malonas, Charaki.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is urging Britons on the island to follow the advice of Greek emergency services and to contact the consulate for advice on leaving Rhodes.
However, flights to the island are largely operating as usual, with tour operators including Tui, and easyJet all issuing statements saying they are working with local authorities to help their affected customers.
Jet2 has cancelled all of its flights and holidays due to depart to Rhodes on Sunday – said to be five flights in total – with customers set to be given a full refund and an opportunity to rebook.
Ian Murison, from London, was staying in the Kiotari area of Rhodes, when he noticed the dark clouds pass over his hotel while having dinner on Thursday evening.
Two days later on Saturday, Mr Murison said he was having breakfast on the beach when he noticed the orange sky again, telling Sky News from his rescue boat: “We noticed that the sea had started to become black with soot and actually people were coming out of the sea noticing ash was falling on to their heads.
“I can only describe it as almost a movie experience where everyone’s looking into the sky as it got a very strange orange colour, and everybody was just looking around going, ‘what’s going on?’.”
He said his family went to start packing their bags when an evacuation notice sounded – but the hotel manager said they should remain at the hotel instead.
After that, a coach arrived to take women and children away from the resort, but Mr Murison said only 100 or so of the estimated 1,200 people were able to get on board.
He explained how his family walked down the road for around five kilometres and managed to get a ride to nearby Gennadi beach.
The ash cloud above Ian Murison’s hotel. Pic: Ian Murison
Pic – Ian Murison
“When we arrived, it was just a few hundred people – there were a couple of cafes and bars and they were serving beers and soft drinks, and everybody was just happy, thinking ‘great, we’ve got away from the fire’.
“And then over the next few hours, the amount of people in that area just increased and increased, and then as light fell, people became increasingly anxious about how they were going to get out from this.”
‘It was like the end of the world’
Mr Murison said they were told boats were on their way to collect them, triggering a rush of people to a nearby car park.
“It was literally like the end of the world,” he said.
“And the flames were now far more visible because of course it’s night-time and we couldn’t see that during the day.
“Suddenly there were leaping flames into the sky, and the sky was completely orange in the distance – so that sort of set about a level of panic.”
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Rhodes: Thousands forced to evacuate
Waiting rescue craft off the Rhodes coast. Pic: Ian Murison
‘The beach was littered with suitcases’
Mr Murison and his family made it on to one of the small boats that were taking people to bigger vessels to transport them north to Rhodes Town.
“There were still hundreds of people, maybe a thousand people, on the beach when we left it, and the place was littered with suitcases because they were throwing them off the boats.”
Reflecting on his ordeal, Mr Murison said: “The mood was general panic”.
Scenes on board the rescue vessel. Pic: Ian Murison
“By the time it gets to getting on to the boats and things like that, there’s a lot of pushing and shoving, and there’s a lot of people, a lot of children crying as well.
“So I’m glad that’s all behind us now. Hopefully we can just finish up… in a bit of a calmer mood.”
Europe sends support
Work continues in Rhodes to fight the inferno, with more than 200 firefighters and 40 fire engines operating on the ground, assisted by three planes and five helicopters.
The force includes 31 firefighters from Slovakia, with five fire engines.
Israel, Jordan and Turkey have also sent reinforcements, mostly aerial equipment.
Three coastguard vessels, plus one from the army, were evacuating people from two beaches on Saturday.
More than 20 private boats were also assisting, and the Greek navy was sending a vessel.
Evacuation orders in place
The wildfires had previously been confined to the Greek island’s mountainous centre – but quickly spread towards seaside resorts on its central-eastern side.
Fire Service spokesman Yannis Artopios said on Saturday afternoon that residents of four areas had been sent SMS messages to evacuate.
In two areas, people were told to move to the north-east and in two others to the south-west.
“If you are in the areas of Peifkoi, Lindosand Kalathos, evacuate now to Archangelos. Forest fire in your area,” he said.
Tourists are being evacuated
Tourists are being evacuated
Coastguard vessels and more than 30 private boats evacuated at least 2,000 people, including tourists, from beaches close to the areas of Kiotari and Lardos, coastguard spokesman Nikos Alexiou told Skai television.
Greek officials say evacuated locals and visitors have been redirected to hotels, conference centres, schools and other public spaces.
A temporary centre to help those who have lost their travel documents during the evacuation to travel home has been set up at Rhodes airport.
What are the airlines saying?
Jet2 has cancelled all flights and holidays due to depart to Rhodes today.
“We will be contacting affected customers to update them, and to let them know that they will be provided with a full refund and the opportunity to rebook,” according to a spokesperson.
British Airways says it is offering customers on the island who need to come home early to change flights free of charge.
“Customers currently in Rhodes who need to come home early can change their return flight free of charge, and anyone due to travel out from the UK in the next week can change their flight to a later date,” a BA spokesperson said.
EasyJet says its flights are operating “as normal” to and from Rhodes, but has urged customers to check the status of their flights before they travel to the airport.
TUI said its teams on the island are following advice from local authorities.
A spokesperson added: “A small number of hotels have been impacted and as a precaution we’re relocating affected customers and providing them with alternative accommodation.
“Flights continue to operate as normal and we will be in contact with customers should their holidays be impacted.”
Clouds of smoke from a forest fire rise to the sky
Meanwhile, the Association of British Insurers (ABI), says travel insurance is unlikely to cover those who cancel their trips due to concerns over wildfires, unless the UK government advises against travel to the area.
“The primary purpose of travel insurance is to cover the costs of emergency medical treatments or repatriation should the worst happen, which can run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds,” according to an ABI spokesperson.
“It can cover you if you need to cancel or cut short your holiday, but it’s likely this will only be under limited circumstances, for example if you or a close family member fall ill, not because of a disinclination to travel.
“Insurance can cover you if advice from the Government changes since you’ve booked your trip, and it’s no longer considered safe to travel to the destination.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: “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.”
On Friday, Paola Paiva waited in a hotel near Caracas airport, nervous but giddy with excitement to be reunited with her brother, finally.
For five months, Arturo Suarez has been detained in a notorious prison in El Salvador.
“I am going to wait for my brother to call me,” she told Sky News, “and after giving him a hug, I want to just listen to him, listen to his voice. Let him talk and tell us his story.”
Suarez was one of the more than 250 Venezuelan migrants who had been living in America but were arrested in immigration raids by the Trump administration and sent to El Salvador, a showpiece act in the president’s promise to deport millions of migrants.
Paola Paiva holds a vigil for brother Arturo Suarez. Pic: Reuters
Most of the men had never even been to El Salvador before. Their detention has been controversial because the White House claims the men are all part of the dangerous Tren de Aragua gang but has provided little evidence to support this assertion.
The only evidence Paola had that Suarez was still alive was a picture of him published on a news website showing the inside of the maximum security CECOT jail.
He is one of dozens of men with their hands and feet cuffed, heads shaved and bodies shackled together.
Now he is returning to his home country, one of the bargaining chips in a deal that saw the release of ten Americans and US permanent residents who had been seized by the Venezuelan authorities.
Venezuelans arrive back in home country after being detained in El Salvador
Paola had tried to go to the airport to greet her brother as he disembarked a charter plane bringing the men back from El Salvador but authorities told her to wait at a nearby hotel.
“They told us they are taking them all to a hotel to rest,” she said.
“But I managed to get someone to give my phone number on a piece of paper to my brother, so I am expecting his call tomorrow, as soon as he can access a phone.
“We heard they are going to perform some medical exams on them and check their criminal records,” she added. “I’m not afraid; I’m not worried since my brother has a clean record.
“I am so happy. I knew this day would happen, and that it would be unexpected, that no one was going to notify us. I knew it was going to be a total surprise.”
US citizens released from Venezuela. Pic: Reuters
The Trump administration had paid the El Salvador government, led by President Nayib Bukele, millions of dollars to imprison the men.
Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem visited CECOT last month, posing in front of prisoners for a photo opportunity.
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But Cristosal, an international human rights group based in El Salvador, says it has “documented systematic physical beatings, torture, intentional denial of access to food, water, clothing, health care,” inside the prison.
A video which was seemingly filmed aboard the charter flight bringing the Venezuelan migrants back to Caracas shows Arturo briefly talking about his experience inside.
He looks physically well but speaks into the camera and says: “We were four months with no communication, no phone calls, kidnapped, we didn’t know what (the) day was, not even the time.
“We were beat up at breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he continues.
Sky News interviewed Arturo Suarez‘s brother Nelson near his home in the US in April, weeks after Arturo – an aspiring singer – had been arrested by immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) agents while filming a music video inside a house.
Nelson said he believed Arturo’s only crime was “being Venezuelan and having tattoos.” He showed me documents that indicate Arturo has no criminal record in Venezuela, Chile, Colombia or the United States, the four countries he has lived in.
Now Nelson is delighted Arturo is being released – but worries for his future.
“The only thing that casts a shadow in such a moment of joy is that bit of anger when I think that all the governments involved are going to use my brother’s story, and the others on that flight, as political gain,” he said.
“Each of them will tell a different story, making themselves the heroes, when the reality is that many innocent people suffered unfairly and unnecessarily, and many families will remain separated after this incident due to politics, immigration and fear.”
At least 34 people have died after a tourist boat capsized in Vietnam, according to state media reports.
The Wonder Sea boat was reportedly carrying 53 people, including five crew members, when it capsized due to strong winds in Ha Long Bay on Saturday.
It happened at roughly 2pm local time (7am GMT). Rescue teams have found 11 survivors and recovered 34 bodies, eight of them children, the state-run Vietnam News Agency said, citing local authorities.
Rescuer in Ha Long Bay are searching for survivors. Pic: QDND via AP
The People’s Army Newspaper, which cited local border guards, said authorities have not yet confirmed details about the tourists, including their nationalities, as the rescue operation continues.
Most of the passengers were tourists, including about 20 children, from the country’s capital city, Hanoi, the newspaper said.
The incident comes shortly after the arrival of Storm Wipha in the South China Sea, bringing strong winds, heavy rain and lightning to the area.
A body being carried on stretcher after a tourist boat capsized in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. Pic: QDND via AP
The named storm is the third typhoon to hit the South China Sea this year, and is expected to make landfall along the northern coast of Vietnam early next week.
Disruptions linked to the storm have also had an impact on air travel, according to Noi Bai Airport.
The airport reported that nine incoming flights were diverted to other airports, while three outgoing flights were temporarily grounded due to adverse weather conditions.
Tourist boats cruise in Halong Bay. File pic: Reuters
The winds brought by Storm Wipha reached up to 63mph (101kmph) and gusts of up to 68mph (126kmph) as it passed south of Taiwan on Saturday, according to the island’s Central News Agency.
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Ha Long Bay is around 125mi (200km) north east of Hanoi and attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Of those who visit Ha Long Bay, many choose to take overnight boat tours to further explore the area.
World
Gaza: More than 30 people killed ‘as Israeli troops open fire towards Palestinians waiting for aid’
More than 30 people have been killed after Israeli troops opened fire towards crowds of Palestinians waiting for aid, according to witnesses and hospital officials.
The deaths occurred near distribution hubs operated by the US-Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May, after Israel eased its 11-week blockade of aid into the territory.
At least 32 people were killed on Saturday, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, while a further 100 people were injured, according to local reports.
Most of the deaths came as Palestinians massed in the Teina area, around 3km (2 miles) away from a GHF aid distribution centre east of the city of Khan Younis.
More than 30 people killed near aid distribution centres. Pic: Mariam Dagga/AP
Mahmoud Mokeimar said he was walking with crowds of people – mostly young men – towards the food hub when troops fired warning shots as the crowd advanced, before opening fire towards the marching people.
“It was a massacre… the occupation opened fire at us indiscriminately,” he said.
Injured Palestinians are brought to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Pic: Mariam Dagga/AP
Akram Aker said troops fired machine guns mounted on tanks and drones.
“They encircled us and started firing directly at us,” he said.
The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said it received 25 bodies, along with dozens of wounded.
Seven other people, including one woman, were killed in the Shakoush area, hundreds of yards north of another GHF hub in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, the hospital said.
The army and GHF did not immediately comment on Saturday’s violence.
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The GFH, which has four distribution centres, three of which are in the southern Gaza Strip, says it has distributed millions of meals to hungry Palestinians.
But local health officials and witnesses say hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli army fire as they try to reach the distribution hubs.
The GHF, which employs private armed guards, says there have been no deadly shootings at its sites, though this week, 20 people were killed at one of its locations, most of them in a stampede.
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The group accused Hamas agitators of causing a panic, but gave no evidence to back the claim.
The army, which is not at the sites but secures them from a distance, says it only fires warning shots if crowds get too close to its forces.
The 21-month war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage.
An Israeli military offensive has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while Gaza’s more than two million Palestinians are living through a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
Israel and Hamas have been holding ceasefire talks in Qatar in recent weeks, but international mediators say there have been no breakthroughs.
US President Donald Trump said another 10 hostages will be released from Gaza shortly, without providing details.
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