With public transport halted and curfews in place, Australians abroad are unable to follow advice to ‘return home as soon as possible’

This article is more than 5 months old

This article is more than 5 months old

Australians stuck in overseas countries with strict lockdown measures say they are unable to follow official travel advice – to return home as soon as possible – and are pleading for more government assistance to navigate local roadblocks.

Sydney man Victor* told Guardian Australia his 77-year-old father, Juan Carlos, has been unable to leave Buenos Aires, where he was staying with family members.

Police in the Argentine capital are prohibiting any movement other than to buy food and medicine.

“Argentina is not like Australia, it’s an ex-military state,” Victor said. “If a guy with a machine gun says you don’t leave, then you don’t leave.”

Australians stuck in Peru amid Covid-19 outbreak advised to book charter flight home Read more

Victor said Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials suggested in a phone conversation they could not provide specific assistance to people overseas beyond encouraging them to find commercial flights, and that Juan Carlos should take a taxi to the airport. Taxis and public transport have stopped operating in the city.

Victor could not book a recent flight home for Juan Carlos because of concerns he would be unable to reach the airport. In the past 24 hours, family in Argentina have arranged for an authorised ride to the airport for a flight leaving in a few days.

“My dad has family in Argentina and is a dual citizen, but what about the other Australians around the world that find themselves in a similar or worse position?” Victor said.

“I am very concerned about them in the coming weeks and months if they cannot come home.”

In Italy, where a national quarantine is in place, the advice to return home is pointless for many as some communities are isolated, borders are closed and many airlines are no longer operating flights.

Australian traveller Tenisha Star, 18, said she had been trapped in Italy for two weeks and was unsure when she would be able to leave. She is desperate to come home.

“The panic is real and despite the potential attempts for Australians to return home, nothing is said about Italy where the virus is worst at the moment,” she said.

“There are no flights out of Italy as the borders have been closed and I just want to come back to Australia. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the Australian government will pull through and send flights from Italy back home.”

Others, including Australian residents who are non-citizens, have been affected by the blanket ban on foreign nationals entering.

Thousands of Australians stranded overseas as countries close borders over Covid-19 fears Read more

Nicolo Favero, a resident doctor who had been working at the Royal Darwin hospital emergency department since August 2019, told Guardian Australia he had travelled to the UK in early March to visit family but was unable to board a return flight from London.

“I visited the Australian high commission in London this morning and they advised me to send an email to request an exemption. I received an automated response telling me to call the foreign office in Australia, who told me that there are no exceptions to the ban.

“I started a life in Australia, I have all my things and my car and I won’t be able to go back to give my contribution as a doctor during one of the worst health crises in years. My hospital already has limited staff and resources so this is going to cause a further strain on the system.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs was contacted for comment.

* Surname withheld.