2 Wilmington residents stuck in Peru due to COVID-19, border closure

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Two friends from Wilmington are stuck in another country after going on vacation in early March because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

When Skip McConnell and Bryce Osborne left Wilmington to go on vacation in Peru on March 9, they had no idea their vacation was going to be extended indefinitely, because of the global pandemic.

McConnell said they were supposed to come home on March 18, but have not been able to get a flight out of the country. McConnell said they were informed of the border closure shortly before they were supposed to be flying home.

McConnell said they are not the only Americans stuck in Peru. He said there is a Facebook group where other Americans are sharing their own challenges while being stuck in the country. He said they are all having a hard time finding a way home.

“It’s been pretty much impossible just because there’s been either scams or there are just so many people trying to get the same flight and fighting over the same flight that it’s kind of become a nightmare, so we are just holding back and letting the other people that need the flights or have medical conditions or elderly or what not. So we are just kind of riding it out for right now,” McConnell said.

McConnell said, on the same day they found out they could not fly out of the country, they also realized the country was being shutdown. He said two local grocery stores and a pharmacy are open, but nothing else.

McConnell said they got lucky and the owner of the place they are staying in has canceled other books to accommodate the two friends, but others have not been so lucky.

McConnell said they have been getting emails from the embassy and from senators, but still no word on when they will be able to go home. He said a lot of the locals have been very helpful and are trying to keep them calm.