ABTA tour op helps acid attack victims fly home
An ABTA tour operator helping to repatriate the British women attacked with acid said they flew home last night.
Police are still investigating the motive of the attack which saw two men on a moped throw acid at Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup, both 18, splashing their faces and bodies while they were walking along a road in Stone Town, Zanzibar, see previous story.
Zanzibar police say a reward of 10m Tanzanian shillings (£3,971) has been offered for information leading to the capture of the attackers, reports the BBC.
A spokeswoman for i-to-i, based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, which organised the month-long Tanzania Experience volunteer programme, said the teenagers were both stable and their injuries were not life threatening.
She added that the girls, who had been volunteering in all aspects of community life, had been due to return home on Saturday.
The 20 other volunteers currently on a ‘gap snap’ in Tanzania and Zanzibar with the company have all been contacted and offered help with repatriation. The spokeswoman said they have all decided to continue with the trip.
The girls’ mothers said in a statement: "Both families are extremely upset and distressed at this completely unprovoked attack on their lovely daughters who had only gone to Zanzibar with good intention."
The tour operator said that clients are briefed in a number of safety measures – particularly because the trips appeal to a younger demographic. These include orientation of the country and aspects of personal safety.
The spokeswoman said: "The reason people do these trips is to have a new experience and 100 times out of 100, people come back safely having had a very good experience.
"A lot of travellers are more savvy these days than they ever were and the girls knew about dressing appropriately.
"It was an horrific attack but nobody knows why."
ABTA said: "Our thoughts are with the two young British women attacked in Zanzibar. The motives for this attack are currently unclear but we understand that this is the first attack reported that has targeted foreigners.
"Most visits to Zanzibar go ahead without incident. Zanzibar is a popular destination for travellers, famed for its white sand beaches and world famous architectural heritage in Stone Town.
"We are working with destination authorities and our members to understand the full details surrounding this incident and will be providing assistance as appropriate."
Diane
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