Russians In Sharm

[mikey4444]

I heard on the radio this morning that they are over 79,000 Russians in Sharm and it might be weeks before they can get home !

I never knew this place existed ::: Hurghada International Airport.

Why can't people be taken to this airport and flown home from there ? It doesn't look very far from Sharm, but I am quite prepared to be told differently.

[Prudie]

How do they get them all across the Red Sea though? Hurghada is another Red Sea tourist airport, I expect the problems lies in Egyptian airport security for tourists in general, not just Sharm.

[mikey4444]

Prudie...I can find no problem re security with Hurghada on the 'net.
Wiki gives it as the biggest airport in Egypt after Cairo. My geography of the region is rather woeful but couldn't people be taken by sea to Hurghada ?

If its true that the Russian are facing weeks of delay, a nice sea journey might be preferable.

[DTCwordfan]

it's a long way that's why, you may as well go to Cairo....or Jerusalem, says he with tongue in gob.

(i) it's a 40 minute flight, only 6 times a week
(ii) by road, it's 500 miles and the security issues about getting across the Sinai peninsula. A bus takes 12 hours apparently
(iii) by water 1.5 hours high speed, but the issue being that the ferries have been suspended.

And I'm not sure Hurghada is any better than Sharm security-wise. It's a better diving centre as Sharm has become too popular....for those who really want some diving fun, go to Saudi, north of Jeddah if you can get the permits.

[Prudie]

I know but you probably couldn't find any evidence on the net about Sharm either before this happened.

[mikey4444]

Thanks DTC...I didn't realise about the Ferries being suspended.

Oh well, I suppose its back to lying on the beach again !

[DTCwordfan]

they could always send a Russian warship.....and if there are issues with the Brits, a RN one that could pick up Brits rather than potential immigrants.

[tonyav]

Mmmmmm !
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/new-isis-video-celebrates-russian-plane-crash-and-praises-sinai-branch-for-bringing-down-the-jet/ar-CC6pTi

[Togo]

Its a good enough reason for Putin to get the military in. I may have touched on this theme previously.

[tonyav]

Yep ^^^^

[DTCwordfan]

Boom, don't go to certain parts of the M-East in the next few days, unless you want blistering and major cancers from the incoming 'new' sun that's going to hit there.

[DTCwordfan]

I read of one today where the Russians lost four emissaries in Lebanon, Hezbollah. One of the leading top four of them was kidnapped and slowly executed by the Ruskies, after being castrated, and then starting with his testes, he was dispatched in four deliveries to his family......no more Hezbollah attacks on the Russians since - a case of handling them with what they know, perhaps......an eye for an eye or a ball for a ball?

[mikey4444]

DTC...I do so hope that last post was meant as tongue-in-cheek !
( will the fall-out reach Cornwall ? )

[DTCwordfan]

No mikey, serious, read the Sunday Telegraph on this......

[Togo]

Shiekh for a Shiekh maybe?

[DTCwordfan]

if it was the nuclear option, frankly I wouldn't be surprised, a small device.....China wouldn't object as they have 130 million Muslims and look at what IS have been doing, or trying to do, in India.....

Putin can't put boots on the ground without risking the wrath of the US - so either major bombing of the HQs (don't tell me they don't know where they are) and maybe a complete one-time small bomb.

[DTCwordfan]

and as we know Putin does not Putinfoot around....good for his 'electorate' and distracting away from how far his economy is effed up.

[ichkeria]

Russia and Hezbollah are supposed to be on the same side ...

[tonyav]

Mr Putin is a religious man !.
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/russia-and-the-curse-of-geography/ar-BBmIwYh?li=AAaeUIW

[EDDIE51]

DTC don't suggest Saudi , it has the best diving in the Red Sea,but there is no chance of getting a visa. Saudi tourist visa's do not even exist!
There are only business, residence, and Hajj (pilgrimage ) visa's.
I lived there for 3 years working for ARAMCO on a residence visa.
To get a business visa you have to be sponsored by a Saudi company ,only Muslims can apply for Hajj visa and that has to be via their local Mosque.

[ichkeria]

It was pointed out by an "expert" on Andrew Neil this lunchtime that the bomb attack, if such it was, may not have been necessarily an ISIS attack targeted specifically at Russia, but the Sinai group stepping up its attacks on Egypt.
If you're going to bomb a plane at Sharm el Sheikh or Hurghada there's a very good chance it will be one full of Russians ...