Man and elderly father stranded in Africa for two months after airline refuses to fly to UK

A Catford man and his elderly father, who suffers from a heart condition, have been left in thousands of pounds worth of debt after becoming stranded in Western Africa.

Lloyd Junior Miller, from Laleham Road, and his 76-year-old father, Lloyd George Miller, from Somerleyton Estate in Brixton, were stranded in Gambia for over two months after an airline refused to fly them home.

Mr Miller Senior was admitted to hospital during this time after running out of his medication and received an emergency blood transfusion – with blood donated by his own son.

He has since arrived back in the UK but his son is still left stranded abroad.

Lloyd Junior Miller, a security guard, said: “This has been a complete nightmare, and very stressful time for us both.

“I feel like I have aged five years on this trip and I could have lost my father.

“My father could have died, and all of this truly could have been avoided.”

The father and son flew out to Gambia when lockdown restrictions were lifted in December 2020 but became stranded once their airline, Royal Air Maroc, cancelled all flights back to the UK.

After finally securing tickets for a flight home on Monday, both men were tested for Covid-19 at an airport in Gambia.

Mr Miller Senior tested negative and was cleared to fly home but his son, who tested positive for Covid-19, must now spend a further thirteen days in the country quarantining at a Covid hotel.

Mr Miller Jnr said: “The airline told us the borders were closed and there was no flights to London or the UK so that they could avoid having to pay for us to get a different flight home.

“That was the biggest part of the problem because we were waiting around for the cancellation to clear in order for us to get home and then we found out there were flights the whole time.

“When I spoke to the British Embassy, they said that what Royal Air Moroc should have done is put us on another flight with a different airline to bring us home. That would have resolved all our problems.

“We are now in thousands of pounds of debt. I’ve got to pay my rent, my phone bill, my council tax on top of all the money spent out here stranded and not being able to get home and work. All these bills have occurred because we couldn’t get home and this is the situation they have put us in.

“With all the financial problems and my dad ending up in hospital because of the delay – I am very angry with the airline.”

Royal Air Maroc has been approached for a comment.