A holiday turned tragedy as an accident, language barriers, and lack of support left a family stranded in Kazakhstan
An Indian-origin family’s New Year getaway to Kazakhstan turned into a harrowing ordeal after an accident left one member with a broken thighbone. A series of tweets narrated their struggle with local healthcare, language barriers, and insufficient embassy support, reported indiatoday.in.
A dream trip to a winter wonderland gone wrong
What was supposed to be a magical New Year’s celebration quickly became a nightmare when J, a family man from Kuwait, slipped on ice and broke his femur. Rushed to a government hospital, his family faced challenges, including concerns over local medical standards and a daunting return to India.
J’s wife, distressed by the situation, sought help from the Malayali Association of Kazakhstan, which advised against surgery in the country due to healthcare concerns. With no local stretcher-equipped flights available, the family explored costly air ambulance options, priced at Rs 60–70 lakh.
An IndiGo engineer intervened, arranging special approval to retrofit an aircraft by removing seats for a stretcher, allowing J to fly to Delhi.
From there, further arrangements were needed to transport him to Kochi. Bureaucratic hurdles added to their plight, including securing medical evacuation forms from Kazakh doctors.
JD, the narrator of the story, urged travelers to prepare for emergencies, emphasizing travel insurance, local contacts, and translation tools. The family’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the unexpected challenges that can arise during international travel.
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