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Louisa and Stephen escaped kidnapping on Karakoram highway
Sep 20, 2004 14: 47 EST
Two months ago, in the heat of the Karakorum season, we wrote about the demonstrations and road blocks in Northern Pakistan. We warned that those events could affect climbers on expeditions to the Gasherbrums and K2. What we didn't know was that a British couple had to be evacuated by helicopter during the protests. They had escaped terrorists who tried to kidnap them at gunpoint.
10.000-miles drive
Louisa Elliott and boyfriend Stephen Carless, British citizens living in he Netherlands, were traveling the Karakoram Highway in 10.000-miles drive. Their vehicle of transportation was ‘Bertha’ a 75 years old Land Rover they had purchased for 750 pounds. Their trip was planned to take about nine months; Louisa sent regular dispatches to the expedition website Holland2Himalayas.
Clinging to the steering wheel
The pair had just left the city of Gilgit in the disputed area of Kashmir when they were ambushed by six gunmen who tried to drag them from their Land Rover and take them hostage.
At one point during the drama, according to the Manchester Online website, Stephen was pulled from the car and only managed to avoid being taken by clinging to the steering wheel with one hand as he was beaten with rifle butts.
"It's not you, it's your government."
As Louisa and Stephen struggled with their attackers, the gunmen told the terrified couple: "It's not you, it's your government."
Louisa told in an internet diary how they stopped their Land Rover at a road block thinking there had been a landslide, then were confronted by six masked men armed with machine guns.
The gunman looked to the gang's leader for authority to shoot
"Initially thinking, or hoping, they just wanted money we offered them everything we had," she said. "However, it soon became clear that they only wanted us.When we refused to get out of the car things became more nasty as they forced the doors open and tried to drag us out."
Louisa told of one heart stopping moment during their ordeal when they thought they would be killed. During the struggle, Stephen kicked one of the attackers in the groin and the gunman looked to the gang's leader for authority to shoot. "We were lucky that he told them not to," she said.
Blasted the horn
As the gunmen tried to drag Stephen from the vehicle, Louisa frantically blasted the horn to try to attract attention and after several minutes, the kidnappers eventually panicked and fled.
The incident took place almost at the end of the 9 month long trip, after driving through Europe, Greece, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. Next stage were to be India and Nepal, to finish at the foot of the Himalayas.
Furious report on the website
The Britons were evacuated to India, and it took some weeks for them to get over the shock and fear. Louisa dispatched a long and furious report in the expedition website. However, they managed to go on with the trip once Pakistan authorities returned their vehicle.
A path that will cross with as few Maoist rebels as possible
On July 22 they hit the road again, through northern India... They are still on it. Just that they’ve changed the itinerary, now heading for the Indian Ocean. Last entry on their website was from Kerala, Southern India, two days ago.
The reason for their change of heart: They have had enough of terrorists. As they wrote in a former dispatch: “We have altered our course so that we get to the beach sooner and on a path that will cross with as few Maoist rebels as possible.”
Image of Louise and Stephen save and ready to be evacuated, and Bertha, courtesy of Holland2Himalayas
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