Rhodes wildfires: First flights due to rescue 'up to 10,000' British holidaymakers

The first repatriation flights are due to arrive on fire-ravaged Rhodes to rescue British holidaymakers stuck in a “living nightmare”.

Airline easyJet will operate two rescue flights totalling 421 seats on Monday and a third on Tuesday, in addition to its nine scheduled flights to the Greek island.

Up to 10,000 Britons are estimated to be on fire-ravaged Rhodes, with repatriation flights to rescue holidaymakers landing back in the UK.

People have told of being forced to sleep with hundreds of others in schools, airports and sports centres across the popular Greek island, while one tourist arrived to hear the hotel she booked had burned down.

Others have vented their frustrations at travel firms for their lack of information about how the wildfires, which began to spread on Saturday, will affect their holiday plans.

It comes as travel operator Tui confirmed holidaymakers returned to the UK on “three dedicated flights” overnight, with plans to bring more back “as soon as possible” in place.

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said it is “peak holiday season”, with between 7,000 and 10,000 Britons estimated to be on the island.

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