Coronavirus: Scots honeymoon couple stranded in Peru after being given 24hrs to flee lockdown

A SCOTS couple on their honeymoon have been left stranded in Peru amid a Coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

Isla and David Thompson, from Glasgow, were set to return home from a three month tour of South America when they found themselves unable to reach an international airport.

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The couple, who married on December 21st last year in St Andrews, are now stuck in a hotel in Cusco in the Peruvian Andies.

Isla, 36, and David, 37, were only given 24 hours to flee the country before the borders closed – and have now slammed the UK government for their lack of action in repatriating them and other stranded Brits home.

Cusco, the former capital of the Inca empire, is a popular tourist spot and UK citizens there have banded together to set up a Whatsapp group to communicate and find a way to get home.

Isla, who left her job to travel, and David, who works in finance, left the UK on January 8 and expected to fly home from Mexico next week.

Isla explained that as they were only given 24 hour warning before the lockdown came into force. They couldn’t get a flight from Cusco to the Peruvian capital Lima as there were none available – and without a flight it would take 20 hours to get there.

She said: “We’ve had very little information from the embassy, in fact when we called them it was closed – they are also going on the 15 day lock down, which is very helpful.

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“We understand that the situation and advice are changing constantly but really there’s been absolutely nothing whatsoever from the embassies. 

“We’ve joined a Whatsapp group for Brits in Cusco which is getting much further than anyone in a position of power, they’ve collated all the details of the British people in Peru with passport numbers and everything.

“The embassy haven’t even asked us, they didn’t even take our names or where we are staying.”

Isla and David are staying in Casa San Blas Boutique hotel and although not confined to their rooms, say that there are strict procedure in place.

Including them there are eight guests in the hotel along with three members of staff – who are only allowed to leave one at a time to get supplies.

She said: “When the lockdown first started, we were quite accepting of it. The hotel have been great, they said don’t worry if you can’t get a flight we’ll look after you.

“But now it feels more fraught, there’s more stuff coming out, there’s police and army on the street, people who are not allowed to leave their bedrooms and things.

“It feels like there’s a lot more tension.

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“With the UK government talking about 30 day travel bans we are worrying if we will even be able to get home.

“We’re ok, we’re not in any dire straights, but as time goes on we’re feeling a bit more anxious and people are getting more on edge.

“We need to get out as soon as possible, it’s just been a very poor response for the UK government.“

Isla added that as Cusco has an elevation of 3,399m (11151.5ft) there are also concerns that if Coronavirus does become widespread in the area, then they worry the altitude levels will have a bigger impact on respiratory systems.