A FAMILY claim they were left to sleep outside in the aftermath of the Morocco earthquake on Friday as their “useless” TUI rep walked away from pleas for information.
Carina Lewis was holidaying with family in Marrakesh, Morocco when they were caught in the devastating earthquake that claimed over 2,800 lives.
The mum from Treorchy, Wales had just put four-year-old son Logan to bed at the Aqua Mirage Hotel when the walls began to shake and decor fell from the walls.
Running outside, Carina, 43, and her family waited the terror out, but were allegedly left to spend the night on the ground, with zero direct communication from TUI or their rep.
Carina claims that they sought the TUI member on the Saturday morning but that he was “rude” and “very arrogant”, walking away from guests as they questioned him.
The staff member also allegedly informed the holiday-makers that their building was safe to return to, despite no survey being carried out to check the structural safety of the hotel.
Carina added that the staff then gave them the option of staying at the hotel, moving to another block – despite there being not enough rooms – or to fly home.
Desperate to get home, Carina claims to have urgently attempted to contact TUI but were told that there were no available flights.
Carina alleges that other family members in the UK had gone to their local TUI branch but that staff had only been informed of the disaster on Saturday morning.
The family now claim to have received no refund for the loss of their holiday after their traumatic experience.
Speaking to Carina today, she said: “We came home in a repatriation flight on Saturday night. We were supposed to be there until yesterday.
“We had gone back to our room around 10:30-10:45 as our little boy was tired. We had literally just put him in to bed when we heard this terrible loud rumbling noise.
“Block one that we were in just started shaking profusely and leant forward, throwing my partner towards the balcony doors and then back towards the room.
“It was then everyone started screaming ‘It’s an earthquake‘.
“Things were falling, the light in the bathroom fell down, cups came off the units.
“We then grabbed our son and ran out of the building as quickly as we could. The walls were cracking, tiles falling off the walls, stairs shaking, everyone screaming.
“We thankfully got outside safely and there were hundreds of people everywhere but not one rep in sight. Staff had no idea what to do – everyone was panicking.
“As things started to settle, it was just by word-of-mouth people were told to remain outside overnight.
“Nobody physically came to us and told us anything we were just left to sleep around the grounds with no additional information.
“At around 10am on Saturday morning, we went to find the TUI rep and to be absolutely honest he was useless, rude and very arrogant.
“Walking away from people when they tried to talk to him and just kept saying ‘Will let you know when I do’.
“Thankfully, we had amazing family support back home, so family members headed straight to the TUI stores – who apparently hadn’t been in informed of the earthquake until that morning around.
“Throughout the day, we kept going back and forth, ringing TUI, chasing the rep down but nothing. No communication at all.
“Block one that we were in took the brunt of the impact along with the dining area.
“To then have the TUI rep around 2-3pm say that the building was safe and we could return to our rooms as themselves and management had walked around and had a look.
“People were not happy as how can they say it’s structurally safe without a full survey?
“We sent pictures home to a family member whose line of work that is and he advised do not re-enter the rooms as it was unsafe.
“We were then given options to stay, move blocks or fly home. Again, all this was a mess, as there were not enough rooms to move everyone.
“We were told by the TUI helpline there were no flights going out and no other available flights out – this went on for hours.
“Then finally about 6:30/7pm we spoke to another couple who had just been told there was a flight at midnight.
“Overall, TUI, during the whole thing, was crap.
“It was awful. Honestly, we fly with TUI all the time but in a time of crisis absolutely terrible – nothing from them at all.”
TUI has been contacted for comment.
