Airport chaos leads to major Anzac day 'disappointment'
Members of the New Zealand Defence Force are likely to have a reduced role in the Anzac Day dawn service in Gallipoli after important items went missing.
The Anzac Day dawn service in Gallipoli could look very different this year after the New Zealand Defence Force announced it “may play a reduced role” in commemorations due to lost luggage.
The items, which contain essential service dress uniforms and band instruments, went missing as the contingent travelled through Dubai to Turkey last week, the NZDF announced on its website on Wednesday morning. The trip hit a huge snag when unprecedented rainfall lashed the United Arab Emirates, flooding Dubai International Airport and disrupting flights through the world’s busiest airfield for overseas travel.
“The contingent’s checked luggage did not accompany it to Istanbul,” the NZDF wrote.
“Efforts by New Zealand Embassy staff in Ankara managed to retrieve some of the luggage on Tuesday evening (local time), but it included just one band instrument and some dress uniforms.”
NZDF Gallipoli lead John McLeod said the baggage mishap was upsetting for the 40-strong contingent, but that they would still be able to provide some support to the services.
“It is disappointing for everyone but we are determined to ensure our Chunuk Bair service honours those who fought here at Gallipoli. Our outstanding vocalist, Lance Corporal Bryony Williams will sing anthems without accompaniment and we have a guitar to support our Māori Cultural group in singing waiata. We are grateful for the support of the Australian Defence Force in helping deliver our service,” he said.
While members, many of whom have personal connections to the area, had tried to source musical instruments locally, it has proved to be very hard, McLeod added. The contingent will re-evaluate how it will take part in the dawn service and deliver the New Zealand Chunuk Bair service depending on what lost luggage may turn up.
Yahoo has contacted the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which supports dawn services held overseas, for comment about if Australia’s role in the commemoration has been impacted.
Every year, hundreds of Aussies and Kiwis make the pilgrimage to the Gallipoli dawn service. In 2015, on the one hundredth anniversary of the World War I landings, more than 10,000 Australians and New Zealanders attended, according to the department.
33,000 lost bags to be sorted, returned
The Dubai airport continues to scramble in the wake of the historic floods. A taskforce is now working to “sort, reconcile and deliver” some 33,000 bags lost after the wild weather threw the city and airport into chaos last Tuesday, the CEO of Emirates Airline Tim Clark said in an open letter.
“It will take us some more days to clear the backlog of rebooked passengers and bags, and we ask for our customers’ patience and understanding.”
Dozens of flights were forced to divert and almost 400 more were cancelled or delayed in the days following, leaving many tourists stranded inside the airport transit area. Those passengers are now "enroute to their destinations” and everything is back up and running as usual, Clark said.
The devastating flooding is believed to have killed at least three people, including a man who died when his vehicle fell into a sinkhole.
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