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| First British holidaymakers return from The Gambia | First British holidaymakers return from The Gambia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The first flights carrying British tourists evacuated from The Gambia have arrived back in the UK. | The first flights carrying British tourists evacuated from The Gambia have arrived back in the UK. |
| Thomas Cook will run 11 flights, including nine extra departures, to evacuate people over the next two days. | Thomas Cook will run 11 flights, including nine extra departures, to evacuate people over the next two days. |
| The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to the capital Banjul and against all but essential travel to the rest of the West African country. | The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to the capital Banjul and against all but essential travel to the rest of the West African country. |
| Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has missed the deadline to hand over power, despite threats of military action. | Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has missed the deadline to hand over power, despite threats of military action. |
| Two Thomas Cook planes returned to Manchester airport on Wednesday night, and another was due back in the early hours of Thursday. | Two Thomas Cook planes returned to Manchester airport on Wednesday night, and another was due back in the early hours of Thursday. |
| Two additional flights were also expected to land at Gatwick. | Two additional flights were also expected to land at Gatwick. |
| Four additional flights, as well as a scheduled one, will land in the UK on Thursday, returning about 1,000 customers to Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham airports. | Four additional flights, as well as a scheduled one, will land in the UK on Thursday, returning about 1,000 customers to Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham airports. |
| Thomas Cook said it had brought back 1,038 customers from The Gambia on Wednesday, and by the end of Friday it expected to have brought home about 3,500 passengers on a total of 16 flights. | |
| Returning holidaymakers have been speaking about the situation in the country. | Returning holidaymakers have been speaking about the situation in the country. |
| Sara Wilkins, from Shropshire, said: "Last night it all got a bit too serious - all the restaurants shut down, all the shops shut down - and it got really scary. | Sara Wilkins, from Shropshire, said: "Last night it all got a bit too serious - all the restaurants shut down, all the shops shut down - and it got really scary. |
| "The local people were crying and worried about their children, and they've got no work now because there's no tourists, so I don't know how they're going to survive." | "The local people were crying and worried about their children, and they've got no work now because there's no tourists, so I don't know how they're going to survive." |
| "We're just relieved to be back." | "We're just relieved to be back." |
| What is happening in the Gambia? | What is happening in the Gambia? |
| The president of the Gambia, Yahya Jemmeh, is refusing to step down after losing the country's election last month. | The president of the Gambia, Yahya Jemmeh, is refusing to step down after losing the country's election last month. |
| Adama Barrow, who beat him, was due to be inaugurated on Thursday. But Mr Jammeh claimed there had been "extraordinary" foreign interference in the election and has now missed the deadline to remove himself. | Adama Barrow, who beat him, was due to be inaugurated on Thursday. But Mr Jammeh claimed there had been "extraordinary" foreign interference in the election and has now missed the deadline to remove himself. |
| This has led to growing political unrest in the country. | This has led to growing political unrest in the country. |
| Senegal has moved troops towards the Gambian border in an effort to force Mr Jammeh to accept electoral defeat and step down. | Senegal has moved troops towards the Gambian border in an effort to force Mr Jammeh to accept electoral defeat and step down. |
| The threat of military action is supported by Nigeria and other states in the region. | The threat of military action is supported by Nigeria and other states in the region. |
| At least 26,000 Gambians have sought refuge in Senegal this week amid fears that violence could erupt. Mr Barrow has also gone to the country. | At least 26,000 Gambians have sought refuge in Senegal this week amid fears that violence could erupt. Mr Barrow has also gone to the country. |
| Mr Jammeh has ruled The Gambia since taking power in a coup in 1994. | Mr Jammeh has ruled The Gambia since taking power in a coup in 1994. |
| Alan Harper, from Warrington, said: "We went out on a trip on Monday and the Gambian people getting on the ferry were carrying all their possessions. | Alan Harper, from Warrington, said: "We went out on a trip on Monday and the Gambian people getting on the ferry were carrying all their possessions. |
| "It was a real struggle to get on the ferry. Everybody was just fleeing. We thought then that something was seriously wrong. | "It was a real struggle to get on the ferry. Everybody was just fleeing. We thought then that something was seriously wrong. |
| "We went out on Wednesday night to a Chinese restaurant and they said, 'We're closing within the hour,' so we had to have our main course and get straight out. | "We went out on Wednesday night to a Chinese restaurant and they said, 'We're closing within the hour,' so we had to have our main course and get straight out. |
| "All the Gambian people who worked there were coming straight out because they were frightened to death. They were hurrying home." | "All the Gambian people who worked there were coming straight out because they were frightened to death. They were hurrying home." |
| Gambian Ebrima Jagne, a textile engineer who works in Burnley, Lancashire, arrived at Manchester airport on one of the flights, but was concerned for his wife Haddytouray and their three-month-old daughter, Ajiamina Jane, whom he is trying to get out of the country. | Gambian Ebrima Jagne, a textile engineer who works in Burnley, Lancashire, arrived at Manchester airport on one of the flights, but was concerned for his wife Haddytouray and their three-month-old daughter, Ajiamina Jane, whom he is trying to get out of the country. |
| He said everyone in the country felt "unsafe" and "on edge... because you don't know what's going to come next". | He said everyone in the country felt "unsafe" and "on edge... because you don't know what's going to come next". |
| "I cannot get my daughter out," he added. "I'm desperate. It's not easy at all when I leave my wife there and daughter." | "I cannot get my daughter out," he added. "I'm desperate. It's not easy at all when I leave my wife there and daughter." |
| Hotel 'chaos' | Hotel 'chaos' |
| Other passengers described the rush at hotels to get them out. | Other passengers described the rush at hotels to get them out. |
| Pensioner Sue Thrower, from Doncaster, said she found out about the evacuation through someone she met on holiday. | Pensioner Sue Thrower, from Doncaster, said she found out about the evacuation through someone she met on holiday. |
| "If it hadn't been for that young woman of 28 with her smartphone talking to her mum back home, we wouldn't have known we had to pack after breakfast this morning and be ready." | "If it hadn't been for that young woman of 28 with her smartphone talking to her mum back home, we wouldn't have known we had to pack after breakfast this morning and be ready." |
| Ralph Newton, from Nottingham, said: "We didn't get communication until this morning [Tuesday], 9am, you've got to leave, the reps are coming at 10am. | Ralph Newton, from Nottingham, said: "We didn't get communication until this morning [Tuesday], 9am, you've got to leave, the reps are coming at 10am. |
| "No reps came, the coaches came and then it was just a bit of chaos, but they did their best at the airport." | "No reps came, the coaches came and then it was just a bit of chaos, but they did their best at the airport." |
| But Hilary Cox, who returned home to Kensington on Thursday morning having cut short her holiday by one day, said some people were refusing to leave. | But Hilary Cox, who returned home to Kensington on Thursday morning having cut short her holiday by one day, said some people were refusing to leave. |
| "On Tuesday rumours started about tourists being told to fly back home," she said. "Our hotel reception was heaving. | "On Tuesday rumours started about tourists being told to fly back home," she said. "Our hotel reception was heaving. |
| "There was a lot of humour and a lot of tension. Nobody was frightened. Some people who were booked out for two or three months were refusing to go." | "There was a lot of humour and a lot of tension. Nobody was frightened. Some people who were booked out for two or three months were refusing to go." |
| "The only evidence that something was up was the back gate to the beach was locked. I was told there were soldiers patrolling the beach. There was a much higher military presence." | "The only evidence that something was up was the back gate to the beach was locked. I was told there were soldiers patrolling the beach. There was a much higher military presence." |
| 'Too much uncertainty' | 'Too much uncertainty' |
| Arlene Robertson is still stuck in the Gambia and told BBC Radio Scotland there were few people left in her hotel and staff were not showing up for work. | Arlene Robertson is still stuck in the Gambia and told BBC Radio Scotland there were few people left in her hotel and staff were not showing up for work. |
| "I want to stay because it's beautiful, but the atmosphere and the current situation is horrible. At least I would have liked to enjoy my holiday, but I can't stay, there's too much uncertainty and I'm concerned about my family worrying about me and about my own safety as well. | "I want to stay because it's beautiful, but the atmosphere and the current situation is horrible. At least I would have liked to enjoy my holiday, but I can't stay, there's too much uncertainty and I'm concerned about my family worrying about me and about my own safety as well. |
| "There's two of us in the hotel and they have no milk left, they have no breakfast," she said. "Most of the staff have left as well, some have families and have gone to Senegal already." | "There's two of us in the hotel and they have no milk left, they have no breakfast," she said. "Most of the staff have left as well, some have families and have gone to Senegal already." |
| Thomas Cook is now offering free amendments or cancellations for holidays to The Gambia up to and including 31 January. | Thomas Cook is now offering free amendments or cancellations for holidays to The Gambia up to and including 31 January. |
| The company has also set up a phone line for flight-only customers who are still in The Gambia and or anyone there needing help: 00 44 161 774 2966. |