Dr. Ying Lu and other 40 Canadian back to Canada

This is Dr . Ying Lu , this is update on the 40 Canadian ( most seniors ) stranded in Morocco.

On March 15, all international flights was cancelled suddenly without any advanced warning . Later on UK government made a special arrangement with Morocco government for limited ( about 30 ) flights to Marrakech  for helping evacuate UK nationals .  This project supposed to end on March 19 . Those limited Tickets become Lottery tickets . Sold out with 5-10 minutes after been released. People were sleeping in the Airport or waiting by their computers . People desperately wanted to leave Morocco before it become impossible.
We were on the road from Fez to Sahara desert when the news arrived . We check there was Last AC fight on 16th , so Bus turned around and drove 7 hours back to Casablanca and hope will able to leave last Canadian fight on 16th. As expected, the flight was full but AC website indicating while 17 th 18th March flights cancelled, our 20th flight still schedule to leave .

On March 16 , we drove to Marrakech, on the way , Morocco government announced by 6pm all restaurants , stores and public markets ( sulks ) and tourist attractions were closed . From then on Food was delivered to the hotel room with staffs with masks and gloves . The hotel Sovay we stayed completely deserted and eerily quite with no one around .  Rumours were hotels will be the next to close , which means we will have nowhere to stay once this happens. In Morocco, as the Kingdom goes , every thing happens within 24 hours and suddenly ,such as closing international flights or close all stores .

On March 17,  grocery stores were the only stores still open . It became frantic , with locals lining up for Toilet paper and hygiene products We are told to stock up food and water for next week. Then the bad news came , We finally get confirmation that our return flight Air Canada 807 was cancelled. .
Every one started panic and family members back in Canada starting panic as well . What happens if hotels be closed and medication are running lower for peoples planed for limited stay . We do not speak any local language and would totally lost if being left on our own in this vase and unfamiliar city .

Every one started to check flights, including use a commercial private plane to UK , but failed to get departure permit from Morocco government.

March 18 noon we left Marrakech at 730 to drive to Rabat , Canadian Embassy and hope to meet with Embassy staff .  Once we were there , We were advised  leaving with UK flights or wait in Casablanca fir Canadian  government assistance. but Canadian government has no definitive plan yet .

My old Daughter, Blanche has been on the computer literally every minute back in Toronto and active track the ticket situation . At 230 pm she notified us Ryanair  just released a new flight at 720 in Marrakech . She helped booked  several seats for myself my daughter Alex and seveal seniors with us while the rest people in the group started frantically booking on line as well . The whole plane seats were full within 15 minutes . We were able to secure 19 seats with unfortunately additional 4 seats kicked out while in payment process ( other paid seconds before ) .

We were told by the local guide our time was very tight if we want to turn around drive from Casablanca back to Marrakech before 615 to board the plane . We decided to take the chance . Local guide got us another Bus , we flied on the high way between Casablanca and Marrakech , accompanied with other speeding taxis heading to the airport for the same reason,  honking at each other along the way .

545pm ,  we received the massage from Ryanair that out 720 flight was cancelled . There is no way back , so we fully charged to arrive at airport to take our second chance.

We arrived the Ryanair ‘s maddening check-in place at 630pm , met with sea of desperate and anxious people , some of them be there for a while
.
There was mad confusion about whether the flight was cancelled or not . Then it appeared the flight managed to come to Marrakech. We were the last few able to get on that flight with our hearts hanging in our throats . Holding my
precious boarding pass ,   I can not bear to looking back at the faces of those did not make the fight.

Once we got the boarding pass it was already pass 930pm , the 720pm flight was 2 hours late the overhead was calling for last boarding . We just run and run to the gate , barely manage to be the last one to get into that door .  

To see the glass gate close behind us was such strange feeling . I did not eat or drink every much that day , after that long mad dash to the gate  , I was felling fainting with total exhaustion.

Finally at 10:20 ( 3 hours behind 7:20 ) , the flight left Marrakech to London .

The time of departure turn out did not matter to the air port , since this is the only flight come in and out of Marrakech airport .

Long story short , 19 of us all get on that flight and arrived at 330 Am in London yesterday morning . From London we connect with Air Canada fight at 9am and safely back in Toronto .

For rest of 21  individuals in our group ,  They also were able to get on UK evacuation flights to London or Dublin.  

Up to now , 27 Of group have arrived in Toronto with rest 13 on the way home . All are in good shape / safe  and will start self isolation.

This was replay of the human desperation  of “Casablanca “ without the romance plus the madness of “ Indian Jones “ without Harrison Ford in real life .

What 24 hours in our life ! But this is just one story . There are many many are happening all over the world at this time .

Thank you again for help bring attention to our
government so that the repatriation process can start for those stranded aboard.

Many many thanks
Ying Lu M.D

Head of Ophthalmology
Scarborough Health Network

Mount Sinai Hospital
Department of Ophthalmology and vision science
University of Toronto