British nationals holidaying in Jamaica have criticised the UK government, travel agents and airlines for failing to issue warnings before Hurricane Melissa struck. The category 5 hurricane, with winds of up to 180mph, made landfall on Tuesday, killing three people and causing widespread devastation.
Among those affected are Carl Pheasant and his partner, who have been in lockdown at a Sandals resort in Whitehouse since Sunday. They said their travel agent and British Airways did not advise against travel before their Friday departure. 'We would have moved our holiday otherwise,' said Pheasant, who turned 61 on Tuesday.
Shantal Da-Costa, 37, travelled from London with her two children for her brother's wedding. She said they were told of a possible hurricane at check-in but received no further updates. 'We knew there was always a possibility of a storm, but not to this degree,' she said from a hotel shelter in Montego Bay.
Sarah Anderson, from south Croydon, travelled to Negril for a multi-birthday celebration. She said her travel agent assured her they would not be flown into danger. 'I'm really upset that we were allowed to fly out and weren't offered to postpone or change dates,' she said.
The Foreign Office has advised British nationals to register their presence and said a specialist team is being deployed. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper offered the UK's full support. However, many tourists face uncertainty, with airports closed and damage expected to complicate departures.
