Discovery to help SA victims

2004-12-28 22:06

Johannesburg - Discovery Holdings was not only concerned about its members trapped in the tsunami-struck South East Asia, but wanted to help evacuate as many South Africans as possible, CEO Adrian Gore said on Tuesday.

Discovery Holdings and Netcare 911 formed an emergency partnership to help 200 of the estimated 300 South Africans stranded in Thailand to return to South Africa.

Gore said in a telephonic interview Discovery was always mindful of protecting its members over the holiday period when people were travelling.

"The extremely tragic events in the Far East galvanised the need for an action plan with our partners to not only help evacuate Discovery members trapped in Thailand but to also extend the assistance to as many South Africans as possible who need to be evacuated," he said.

Gore said the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and the Department of Foreign Affairs also joined the evacuation initiative.

Gore added that the evacuation plan and programme helped foster the partnership to come to the aid of South Africans stranded in Thailand.

"Most of the South Africans who are stranded there will be evacuated as a result of this initiative."

The evacuation party with the 200 South Africans are expected to return to the Johannesburg International Airport by Wednesday afternoon or early evening.

A Boeing carrying 20 medics including 5 doctors, 5 ICU nurses and 10 paramedics, was chartered from Nationwide Airlines and left the Johannesburg International Airport on Tuesday.

- SAPA