(CNN) — When Maxwell Winchester and his wife arrived on the South Pacific island of New Caledonia almost two weeks ago, they were excited for what would be their first child-free vacation since becoming parents.
But what was supposed to be a romantic getaway has left the Australian couple stranded and far from their children in their home state of Victoria after deadly riots broke out across France sparked by the national government’s electoral changes. .
“We are sheltering in place because it has been too dangerous to go out. We have had barricades, riots… stores looted, burned to the ground. In our neighborhood there is practically nothing left,” Maxwell Winchester told CNN on Thursday.
At the hotel where they are staying, food and medicine are running out, he said, and it is not known when help will arrive; The evacuations of foreigners have stopped this Thursday due to the arrival of the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, to hold talks.
“We have people who have run out of medicine… People are running out of food. Other stranded Australians have had to go look for coconuts to eat,” he said.
Maxwell Winchester and his wife, an Australian couple stranded in New Caledonia after the outbreak of riots. (Credit: Photo obtained by CNN)
Now, the couple and other foreign nationals trapped on the island are desperately trying to find a way to return home, with commercial flights canceled and the main international airport closed.
“Our embassy was out the first day, and we didn’t hear from them until last night for the first time for a welfare call,” he said. “We are frustrated with all of this… What I hope is that our government will evacuate us quickly.”
Australia and New Zealand began sending government planes to evacuate nationals starting Tuesday, with the Australian embassy in New Caledonia saying on Facebook that 108 Australians and other tourists were successfully transported from the island to Brisbane on two flights this Tuesday.
“We continue to work with our partners to facilitate the departure of all Australians who wish to do so,” he said in a post this Wednesday.
But Winchester said he and other tourists have no idea when it might be their turn. The local government estimates that there are about 3,200 people waiting to leave or enter the island.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) says on its website that it is “communicating directly with Australians registered in New Caledonia about exit options from New Caledonia”, and has given instructions Australians on the island to register their details on the agency’s online portal.
People queue at a store to stock up in New Caledonia, with nearby larger supermarkets burned and looted during unrest in the French territory. (Credit: Obtained by CNN)
Deadly riots
Located about 1,500 kilometers northeast of Brisbane, New Caledonia has long been a popular destination for Australians and New Zealanders seeking sun and sand on the Pacific.
But it is also a vestige of France’s colonial past, a territory on the other side of the world where many indigenous inhabitants suffer from deep-seated poverty and have long suffered from the domination of Paris.
The latest protests, the worst since the 1980s, were sparked by indigenous Kanak anger over a constitutional amendment passed in France that would change who can participate in elections, which local leaders fear will dilute the Kanak vote.
The riots left at least six people dead and left a trail of burned cars and looted shops, with road barricades restricting access to medicine and food.
The situation has gotten so bad that Macron was forced to fly some 16,000 kilometers, landing on an island seething with resentment from indigenous community leaders, business owners and stranded tourists.
Macron arrived in New Caledonia on Thursday and told reporters that “the return to peace” was his top priority, but that French security forces will remain in the territory for “as long as necessary, including during the Olympic Games.” .
3,000 French security forces have already been deployed, some of whom will continue to arrive this Thursday, he said. He added that he believes the state of emergency “should not be prolonged,” as long as all political forces on the island make a “clear call for the blockades to be lifted.”
As part of his visit, Macron will “establish a mission” in New Caledonia, government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot said at a news conference earlier this week. The visit comes as France prepares for the Paris Olympic Games, which will be held from July 26 to August 11.
Blocked roads
But Macron’s arrival was of little comfort to Winchester and his wife, who are staying in a resort outside the city centre. They described anxiety and desperation inside among hotel guests and staff alike. The resort blocked all roads leading to the hotel, leaving only a 24/7 guarded entrance.
Frustration is growing among stranded tourists due to the lack of help or clear instructions from their governments.
The Australian government only notifies its citizens of evacuation plans 30 minutes before the flight “for safety reasons,” Winchester said, meaning “everyone is constantly on edge, and they are afraid to leave their hotel rooms.” in case they receive a call telling them (to get on the plane).”
When CNN contacted DFAT for comment, it referred to a statement posted online Wednesday by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
“The Australian Government is prepared to help more tourists leave New Caledonia and has planes ready to fly. We have not been given authorization for additional flights. We know this is frustrating for Australians who remain,” he wrote in X, before Twitter. “We are working to secure flights tomorrow.”
A burned building in an industrial district in Noumea, New Caledonia, on May 20, 2024. (Credit: Theo Rouby/AFP/Getty Images)
With the international airport closed, evacuation flights can only depart from the domestic airport, located near the city center, which is largely inaccessible to people staying further away, such as Winchester and other guests at their resort, due to roadblocks and gun violence on main roads.
“My wife and I don’t have a car, so we have no way to get to the city if they put us on a flight,” he explains. “We don’t know if they’re going to come and evacuate us from where we are or not. But driving into the city is very dangerous right now.”
New Zealand citizens on the island are in a similar situation, with their governments instructing them to drive into the city and leave their cars at a hotel to avoid being kidnapped, before being picked up there for evacuations, he said.
“And with Macron’s visit, it could get worse,” he said. “The French government hasn’t handled this well. And if (Macron) says the wrong things and then goes back to France, it could all blow up again, that’s our fear.”
Meanwhile, stranded foreigners continue to look for a way out, while racking up huge bills: Winchester describes tourists spending tens of thousands of dollars on food, lodging and supplies.
The couple is trying to travel to the city with some New Zealand citizens and find a departure flight with them, hoping that there is strength in numbers on this dangerous journey.
“From our own government, their position is that the French will fly us out, and we do not trust the French government’s ability to keep us safe,” he said.
