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KAIKOURA, New Zealand, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday evacuated 126 Chinese tourists from the coast town of Kaikoura to Christchurch after a magnitude-7.5 earthquake.
The Chinese Consulate in Christchurch on Monday rented two helicopters and evacuated 41 Chinese tourists from Kaikoura. Three other helicopters joined on Tuesday and evacuated 85 Chinese tourists, including those from Taiwan and Hong Kong.
"Many people helped in the evacuation, including staff of the helicopter company, local residents, and overseas Chinese in Christchurch. The successful evacuation is really the result of collective effort," said Li Xin, deputy consul-general in Christchurch.
As Chinese tourists were heading home, some 1,000 tourists were still stuck in Kaikoura after major access to it were blocked by the earthquake and dozens of aftershocks.
Scott and Selene Papworth, a British couple, were furious as they continuously watched Chinese tourists get choppered out of the small town thanks to the Chinese government, while calls to the British Embassy were falling flat, said a New Zealand Herald report.
The couple saved up by working seven days a week for the past 12 months to come on a trip of a lifetime with their children Faith, 5 and Ronnie, 4.
"We have to leave the kids' stuff behind, just leave it to goodwill. We have literally worked seven days a week for nearly a year for this trip and it's all ruined. It has cost us everything. We have put the mortgage up just to get out of here," Scott told New Zealand Herald.
They finally got out of the isolated town via a helicopter big enough for them and all their luggage. The helicopter was provided by a private company, according to the newspaper.
