Guinea Travel Alert: Guinea Evacuation Charter Flight Leaving Mid-Morning October 2, 2009

October 1, 2009, U.S. Embassy Conakry,  issued the following Warden Message:

As indicated in the Travel Warning published by the Department of State on Wednesday, September 30th, due to the unpredictable nature of the current security situation in Conakry, non-essential members of the Embassy staff and all dependents have been ordered to depart from Guinea to Dakar. 

The Department of State has chartered a plane for this purpose.  The aircraft is scheduled to arrive mid-morning tomorrow, October 2nd, and depart shortly afterward. Half of the seats on this charter flight are available to private U.S. citizens who also wish to depart from Guinea. However, please note that these seats are not free; if you would like to book a seat on the charter flight, you will be asked to sign a promissory note, and you will be expected to eventually repay the fare.  Please also note also that the charter flight is going to Dakar, Senegal, not to the United States.  If you choose to go to Dakar, you will be responsible for your own lodging and meals in Dakar, and any onward travel arrangements. Seats on the charter flight will be available to private U.S. citizens on a first-come basis; we ask that you contact the Consular Section of the Embassy at 67-10-4444 to express interest.  In addition to the charter flight, there are several commercial flights scheduled over the next several days, though it is impossible to determine in advance whether these flights will arrive and depart as scheduled, or that there will be seats available.  

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U.S. citizens who choose to remain in Guinea despite the Travel Warning are urged to stay in their homes until the security situation returns to normal, to closely monitor media reports, and to follow all official instructions.  U.S. citizens who must leave their homes for any reason are urged to exercise extreme caution, be particularly alert to their surroundings, and to avoid crowds, demonstrations, or any other form of public gathering. 

As always, we remind citizens that demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence quickly. The Embassy, therefore, urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution in the vicinity of any protests, and to avoid crowds, political gatherings, and street demonstrations, even if they appear to be peaceful.

If you have questions or concerns about safety or related issues, you are encouraged to contact the consular section at the Embassy.  During normal business hours--Monday through Thursday 07:30 to 16:30, Friday 07:30 to 13:30--you can call the Embassy switchboard at 65-10-4000, or, to reach the consular section directly, call 67-10-4444.  After hours, please call 67-10-4311. Inquiries or information transmitted by email to the consular section of the Embassy at our new email address conconakry@state.gov will be read the morning of the next business day.

Travel Advisories

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs gives the following advice Australians who are traveling, working or living in Guinea: "Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas, organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy."

The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office gives the following advice British people who are traveling, working or living in Guinea: "We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. This should cover medical evacuation by air ambulance. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake."

The Canadian Foreign Affairs Office gives the following advice to Canadians who are traveling, working or living in Guinea: "Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover costs if you get sick or are injured while abroad. Out-of-country healthcare can be costly, and your health plan will cover only part of the bill at best. It is your responsibility to obtain supplementary travel insurance and understand the terms of your policy. Some credit card companies offer their holders health and travel insurance. Do not assume that coverage is automatically included or that the card alone provides adequate coverage."

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade gives the following advice to New Zealanders: "New Zealanders travelling or resident in Guinea should have comprehensive medical and travel insurance policies in place that include provision for medical evacuation by air."

The U.S. Department of State gives the following advice to Americans who are traveling, working or living in Guinea: "We strongly urge you to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation and overseas medical services. Please keep in mind that Medicare does not cover any illness or injury that occurs outside of the United States."

How We Can Help

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