Katrina: Booze 'saved' tourist

2005-09-08 20:22

Sydney - The adage that God looks after fools and drunks proved accurate on at least one count in the case of an Australian tourist who was feared killed in hurricane-lashed New Orleans, but turned up safe and well after riding out the storm in a jail cell.

Australian officials had held grave fears for Ashley McDonald, 30, who had been missing since Hurricane Katrina battered the United States Gulf Coast, shortly after he arrived in the area to visit his sister.

But, his family said on Thursday that he had been found in a Louisiana jail, and was alive.

McDonald's mother Sharon Thomas, who flew from Australia to search for her son, was told of his survival when she landed in the United States.

McDonald evacuated to jail

Thomas said: "We were expecting to make funeral arrangements, but he is alive."

She said US authorities had told her that McDonald was picked up for drunk and disorderly conduct in New Orleans and rode out the storm in a city jail, before being evacuated to a Louisiana jail for his own safety.

Thomas said she felt slightly sheepish about the manner of her son's salvation, but she was glad his love of a good time had helped save him.

Thomas said: "We are relieved and very happy and still a little bit embarrassed he did the Aussie thing.

"He is a true-blue Aussie and from what we understand he had one drink too many and he was picked up for his own safety with the hurricane coming."

ID book found in hotel

She had feared the worst when McDonald's credit cards and identification were found in a Louisiana hotel, with no trace of her son at the hotel.

The family believed he might have been mugged and robbed when the storm hit.

McDonald's sister, Jasmine Mutnansky, said that, while it was not the most "classy" ending to the ordeal, she was just glad her brother was safe.

She said: "Knowing the type of person he is, I'd say he was drunk. He couldn't even be in the country a few hours without getting arrested."

Australian consular officials were arranging for McDonald to be released and reunited with his family.

- AFP