‘Devastating’: Emergency flights touch down at YVR from wildfire-ravaged Maui – BC | 24CA News
Travellers started arriving at Vancouver’s International Airport Thursday morning from the Hawaiian island of Maui.
At least 36 individuals have died because of wildfires burning on the favored island vacation spot. Hawaiian vacationer city, Lahania, has been decreased to ashes.
Thousands of travellers have been scrambling to get out of Maui and inform Global News it has been chaos. Air Canada mentioned Tuesday’s flight from Maui to Vancouver was cancelled.
Wednesday night time the airline despatched a bigger, empty plane to select individuals up. That was delayed however arrived Thursday morning, together with a WestJet flight.
“Twenty-four hours at the airport because our flight was cancelled,” traveller Edwardo Alvarez mentioned. “There wasn’t any support whatsoever in terms of communication from WestJet representatives. People sleeping on the ground, feeling like homeless. That was my experience.”
Passenger, Jennifer Cordoba, advised Global News when she arrived Thursday that seeing what occurred in Maui was actually unhappy and devastating.
“We were under the Banyan Tree and it’s all gone, it’s really sad,” she mentioned. “It is changing fast and it’s really scary, but we’re really grateful that we got on our flight. We slept at the Maui Airport for 24 hours but that’s all you can do.”
The Lahaina Banyan Tree was planted in 1873 and was a vacationer attraction locally.
There is concern it has now burned to the bottom however officers mentioned they’re hopeful the roots are nonetheless wholesome.
“We have a little one and we were staying just north of Lahaina where all the big fires took place and it was just devastating,” passenger Justin Mulholland mentioned.
“The fires were getting closer to our hotel room and we had no communication, little food and we were stranded for another night there. It was devastating for sure.”
Fellow passenger John Bryant held again tears as he advised Global News of a good friend who misplaced his cottage and his dwelling.
“In the harbour, all the boats are gone, the Pioneer Inn is gone. We visited there two days before it happened,” he mentioned. “It is really sad.”
While many individuals are blissful to be dwelling, many are nonetheless ready to get out. Air Canada mentioned will probably be sending one other flight Thursday night time, which is able to arrive Friday morning.
Passengers are being advised to maintain checking the web site for the newest info.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
