DIRCO Steps Up to Help Distressed South African Mom in Germany

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has stepped up to assist a distressed South African citizen who went missing in Frankfurt, Germany, and has since been hospitalised.

As reported by SAPeople over the weekend, Colleen Crossley (73) from Somerset West had been due to join a two-week tour of Europe when she took off from Cape Town International Airport on Friday 3 August… but she never pitched up to join the group.

Instead she was found two days later, on Sunday 5 August, wandering around Frankfurt Airport “dazed and confused” and without any of her possessions.

She was taken by police to hospital, but later discharged herself… before being readmitted the following day. It’s believed she suffered a “mental breakdown”.

Throughout the ordeal, her son Seth Blaise – who is based in Johannesburg – had been frantically trying to get hold of Dirco for assistance, contacting both the SA Consulate in Munich and the SA Embassy in Berlin by email and phone… to no avail. He was also let down by Harvey Travel who “washed their hands of the issues, saying it is insurance related”. They did however locate his mom’s luggage, which was at Frankfurt Airport.

Following SAPeople’s report, the Deputy Director of Dirco for Europe and the Americas got in touch over the weekend.

Seth told SAPeople today that this week: “DIRCO have really stepped up and been a great help!”

He said: “I have been in constant contact with DIRCO and made the payment for the required Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC). The Embassy will send someone to Frankfurt to do the necessary. We are still trying to get a diagnosis and possible discharge info from the hospital.”

Crossley is believed to have suffered a “mental breakdown”. Baise told Traveller24 her mom does have a history of an anxiety condition, but had been stable the past six years (with medication) and had safely enjoyed recent annual trips abroad to India, Turkey and the UK.

DIRCO said in a statement on Wednesday that Consular Services are now “fully aware of the tragic incident” and have made direct contacts with Baise since Monday 13 August.

“The embassy is in contact with the hospital. Once Crossley is fit to travel, the embassy will assist with the issuance of emergency travel documents.”

“I have a cousin (recognised family member) who has dual citizenship and is a registered nurse (based in London and who knows Colleen) on “standby” if I am unable to get to Germany to escort her back to the RSA.”

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DIRCO recently launched its “Travel Smart” campaign aimed at encouraging South Africans to research their destinations and the laws of the countries they seek to visit or apply for work.

In the case of emergencies, DIRCO Consular Services are able to offer non-financial assistance, which is appropriate to the individual circumstances of each case, including:

• issuing replacement travel documents against the payment of the prescribed fee after verifying citizenship (in cases of lost South African passports);
• providing appropriate help (non-financial assistance) if you have suffered serious assault, are a victim of other crimes, or are in a hospital;
• providing details of local law commissions, interpreters, doctors and funeral parlours (without assuming responsibility for their effectiveness or costs thereto);
• contacting you as soon as possible after being informed (dependent on local circumstances) that you have been detained;
• non-financial assistance to families of deceased persons; and
• consular notarial functions (e.g. legalisation of South African public documents for use abroad and providing Commissioner of Oaths services).

DIRCO cannot:

• Get you out of prison, prevent the local authorities from deporting you after your prison sentence or interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings.
• Help you enter a country, for example, if you do not have a visa or your passport is not valid, as we do not interfere in another country’s immigration policy or procedures.
• Give you legal advice, investigate crimes or carry out searches for missing people.
• Get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local people.
• Pay any bills or give you money.
• Make travel arrangements for you, or find you work or accommodation.
• Make business arrangements on your behalf.
• Assist with transfer of funds to a national who is not in distress.
• Return a child that has been abducted by a parent/family member.

If you’re travelling abroad, Dirco encourages you to register on their website or email rosahelp@dirco.gov.za