Terrified ex-pats left stranded in coronavirus-hit Wuhan as top diplomat takes UK holiday
BRITAIN’S top diplomat in Wuhan was on holiday in the UK as the epidemic swept the city, leaving hundreds of terrified ex-pats stranded.
Consul-General Gareth Hoar, 54, flew out of China just before the city went into lockdown ten days ago.
Frustrated Brits were trapped in Wuhan for more than a week and watched as Americans, Japanese and French left before them.
Brit scientist Graham Hubbard said: “It was a complete shambles. The Foreign Office could have done a lot better.
“The emergency number we were given just rang out and nobody answered it at all.”
Another ex-pat who lives in Wuhan said: “The consulate in Wuhan was shut the whole time.
“I think I saw one guy at the building the whole of last week but other than that the consul Gareth Hoar was nowhere to be seen. He certainly wasn’t at Wuhan airport checking passports and names when the British were airlifted.”’
Mr Hoar — who earns more than £90,000 a year — owns a house in Woking, Surrey, which he lets out.
A government source said: “He was on annual leave when all this was going on and the lockdown prevented him from going back.
“He has been at the crisis centre at the Foreign Office and was at Brize Norton when the evacuation flight landed. At all times the response has been properly resourced.”
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Last week the Foreign Office came under fire for its chaotic handling of the airlift with 83 Brits only landing back in the UK at RAF Brize Norton on Friday after red tape held up their flight for 24 hours.
Many were left stranded after they said diplomats gave them just two hours notice to get to Wuhan international airport for the flight back home.
As it was the specially chartered Boeing 747 left half empty and officials say no further British organised flights are planned of the 150 or so other expats still left in Wuhan.
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