TWO fathers have been reunited with their families after fleeing from crisis-hit Libya.
But Martin Popiel, from Linthwaite, and Glyn Richards, from Cawthorne, say their safe return to Huddersfield has nothing to do with the help of the British Government.
In an exclusive Examiner interview, the pair – who were on a business trip to the country – told how they had to fight their way through the crowds at Tripoli airport.
They only managed to get into the airport and find a flight home with the help of a local businessman.
It follows widespread criticism of the British repatriation effort, with Foreign Secretary William Hague forced to apologise for delays in getting nationals out of the strife-torn country.
Glyn, whose teenage son James studies at Greenhead College, said: “It was absolute hell at the airport – complete chaos.
“We had to park outside the car park and there were hundreds of people outside, all trying to get in.
“Some of the guards came out with batons to try and push people back and there were fights breaking out as everyone was pushing forward.”
The pair, who work for Huddersfield engineering firm Sellers, said they were only let in through an airport side door because the Libyan businessman who was helping them knew the guard.
Although Martin, 39, and Glyn, 38, were relieved when they managed to get a flight to Vienna and a connection to Heathrow, they were upset that helpless families and children were still stuck outside unable to get home.
Martin said: “We would still be there now if it wasn’t for the Libyan businessman. We would be outside the airport with the other hundreds of people trying to get in.
“The businessman asked us why Britain hadn’t sent anyone to get us out when all the other countries had. Forty-eight hours doesn’t sound like a long time but it is when you’re out there.
“When we were in the airport we were both shaking because we were so worried we wouldn’t be able to get a flight and there were so many rumours about what was going on in the country.
“We were all crammed in like sardines alongside thousands of other people and it was so packed we could hardly lift our arms to check our watches to see what time it was.”
The duo had been in Tripoli to work on a carpet factory when the violent uprising began.
Glyn’s wife Alison said: “The first few days were the worst because we didn’t know whether or not they were okay.
“I was sat watching the news constantly – I couldn’t turn away from it.”
Martin’s wife Amanda added: “For me it was different, I couldn’t watch the news because it was just so upsetting and we could see it all happening and changing so fast.”
Thankfully the men were not caught up in any violence – but they did see trouble flaring up outside their hotel window in Tripoli.
Father-of-three Martin said: “At 3.30 in the morning I heard what sounded like a heated argument outside the hotel and I looked out from the balcony and I could see about 30 to 40 people on the street in front of the hotel.
“I went back to bed and then about 20 minutes later I looked out again and there must have been about 300 to 400 people outside by then – they were coming from everywhere – people were pushing one another and shouting at each other.”
Minutes later both men had a knock on the door and Libyan police searched their rooms from top to bottom.
They later fled to a safe haven on the outskirts of the city until they could arrange for someone to take them to the airport.
Martin, the father of Samantha, Lee and Dale, said: “Libya is the sort of place where there’s not many people who talk about the situation because they are scared of what might happen.”
