Stranded Australian tourists are trying to raise US$300,000 (A$525,000) to charter a plane to escape Peru after the nation shut its borders against coronavirus.
More than 170 Australians were trapped in the South American country on Sunday when President Martin Vizcarra issued a 15-day nationwide state of emergency and border closure.
The shutdown included the cancellation of all commercial international flights into the country of 32 million people.
Hundreds of people were stranded in Peru after the South American nation suddenly shut its borders on Sunday after declaring a state of emergency due to coronavirus
Victorian woman Emily Jennings is one of more than 170 Australians trapped in Peru. She has started a GoFundMe page to charter a private jet to evacuate 190 people to the US
Officials have imposed night curfews and are also restricting the movement of people across provinces including on trains and buses.
Peru had 145 confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday morning, BNO News reported.
Victorian women Emily Jennings and Serena Horg started a crowdfunding page to try to raise enough money to hire a charter jet to get them from Peru to the USA.
‘Peru shut its travel borders on Monday the 16th of March with little to no notice, and left hundreds of people stranded with no information as to how long we’d be stuck here,’ Ms Jennings wrote on GoFundMe.
‘But today a ray of hope was given to us. The Peru government has given humanitarian flight clearance to anyone needing to travel back to their home country, but we have to organise the plane ourselves.’
Ms Jennings said the pair had secured a private charter jet that would cost US$289,000 to evacuate 190 people to Dallas, Texas.
With each person paying US$1000 for a ticket, she said the plane would be affordable if all those who promised to help would kick in US$50.
Psychologist Shweta Tanna found Peru in lockdown is another Australian stranded in Peru
Ms Tanna found Peru in lockdown when she returned from a hiking trip to the city of Huaraz north of the capital Lima on Sunday. Travel between provinces has also been restricted
‘If we don’t get the numbers needed your wonderful and generous donations will help cover the gap,’ Ms Jennings wrote.
‘The rest I am covering from what is left of my savings/house deposit money. But I don’t mind, no amount of money is worth more than being back on Australian soil with my children in my arms.’
As of Friday morning, 55 people had donated to the fundraiser which had collected US$3640 of its US$300,000 total.
Perth father-of-three Darrell Cruse was also stranded in Peru where he went to visit the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu.
He cut his holiday short and booked a flight home Tuesday but it was a day too late for the lockdown and was cancelled.
‘I only found out about the lockdown late on Sunday and only had until midnight Monday to get out of the country, but due to the high amount of people being stuck in Cusco, by the time I tried to book a new flight there were none left,’ he told Nine.
‘I don’t want to be here and now feeling all alone in a strange place. I can’t communicate because I can’t speak Spanish which is making it hard.’
Psychologist Shweta Tanna, 35, a joint Australian and UK citizen, found Peru in lockdown when she returned from a hiking trip to the city of Huaraz north of the capital Lima on Sunday.
She said the Australian Government should be doing more to help.
The UK embassy emailed to tell her they were trying to charter a flight for British citizens but warned it would cost up to $6200 each, Nine News reported.
US President Donald Trump has said he would send in the US military to evacuate more than 1400 US citizens also trapped in Peru.
Ms Jennings (right) says she is desperate to get out of Peru
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said he was aware of the situation and that the government is working with consular offices to help Australians abroad, including working with Qantas before their international planes are grounded, Nine News reported.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Thursday it’s trying to get permission to enable an Australian tour company to offer a commercial departure for Australians trapped in Peru.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued it’s highest level of warning on Wednesday to Australians not to travel anywhere.
The warning advised those already abroad to return to Australia as soon as possible on commercial flights as they may not be able to come home later as more countries shut their borders to prevent the rapid spread of coronavirus.
Worldwide there were 243,737 coronavirus cases and 10,007 deaths as of Friday morning according to BNO News which has been tracking the virus since early January.
Mainland China had 80,928 cases, Italy 41,035 cases, Iran had 18,407 and Spain 17,963 while the US had 11,597.