Doncaster couple could have to cancel £5,000 Sri Lanka honeymoon after terrorist bombs

A couple from Doncaster face having to scrap their £5,000 honeymoon in Sri Lanka after terrorist bombs killed 250 people in the country.
Alisdair and Abigail face having to cancel their £5,000 honeymoon to Sri Lanka. (Photo: PA).Alisdair and Abigail face having to cancel their £5,000 honeymoon to Sri Lanka. (Photo: PA).
Alisdair and Abigail face having to cancel their £5,000 honeymoon to Sri Lanka. (Photo: PA).

Abigail McKie and fiance Alisdair Smith face having to alter all their plans after the Foreign Office advised against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka following a series of terrorist attacks over Easter.

Around 250 people were killed in the Easter Bombings in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa, and terrorists are “very likely” to attack again, according to the updated Government advice.

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The pair are among a host of engaged couples left scrambling to make new honeymoon plans following the attacks on hotels and churches on April 21.

Holidaymakers who have booked to travel to the country are now being urged to contact airlines, tour operators and insurers for more information.

Abigail McKie, a specialist support worker, was due to travel to the country for her honeymoon in June – but they are facing the prospect of rearranging the entire trip.

“I’ve cried quite a few times already,” she said. “It’s so frustrating. We’ve booked our train tickets and we’ve got our visas. It’s all booked, it’s all paid for.”

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The couple had saved up £5,000 for a tour of Sri Lanka, with stops including Colombo, Kandy and the country’s Cultural Triangle, with a particular focus on seeing wildlife.

“We’re quite adventurous and we don’t like staying in one place,” the 24-year-old said.

She said her travel agent is now advising the couple change the destination for the trip, which they had been planning for around a year.

“They’ve given us a few options like Borneo but to be honest we were so set on Sri Lanka,” she said.

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Despite her frustration with the situation, she said she understood why the Foreign Office had changed its advice.

“They’re just trying to keep everyone safe and honestly my heart goes out to anyone that’s out there already or that was meant to be going sooner than we are,” she said.

“They’ve probably done the right thing but it’s hard to take.”