Passports have been returned to 17 Ottawa-area residents who were stranded in Chile following a massive earthquake to hit that country over the weekend.
The group was on its way to Buenos Aires to begin a tropical cruise when their plane hit a bird, forcing them to land in Santiago, the capital city of Chile.
That day, an 8.8–magnitude earthquake shook the nation. The earthquake caused the international airport to collapse, burying their passports in a safe beneath the rubble.
The group has been staying in a hotel, waiting for word on when they'll be able to join up with the cruise line, which departed Buenos Aires without them.
Following the quake, some hotel guests have chosen not to return to their rooms, setting up makeshift beds outside, said Ottawa-area resident Susan Irvine.
"They are camping out on the first floor near the doors or out on the tennis court. All of our meals have been served out in the tennis court area as the big dining room had water damage. It is just one big picnic," she wrote in an email to CTV Ottawa.
"The place has the looks of a cross between a very posh resort and a refugee camp."
She said damage to many parts of the city was minor and some people are using the time to see attractions in the area.
Although the group's cruise left without them, Irvine said travellers were told they should be able to join up with the cruise line at the next port on Wednesday.
The travellers received their passports, along with travel visas, on Monday night. The group was scheduled to meet with members of the Canadian Embassy and Air Canada on Tuesday to get an update on the situation.
