Fed: Australians arrive home, some feared were about to die
30 Nov 2008 12:55 PM
SYDNEY, Nov 30 AAP - Some Australians caught up in the Mumbai terrorist attacks rang loved ones back home to say goodbye, fearing they were about to die.
A number of Australians have arrived home to be reunited with family and friends, many telling stories of lucky escapes during the three-day attacks.
Phil Sweeney, a member of a NSW trade delegation who was in Mumbai, says at one stage he rang his family to say goodbye, fearing his hotel was on fire.
"I smashed my hotel window and it was too far to jump so I rang them all and said ooray, I thought that was the end.
"It was only after that that I started getting text messages back saying it was actually a terrorist attack and the hotel wasn't on fire but there were gunmen in the building and lay low and don't make a noise."
Mr Sweeney was relieved to be home but paid tribute to fellow trade delegate Brett Gilbert Taylor, one of two Australians killed in the attacks.
"I'm feeling some real mixed emotions," he told reporters at Sydney Airport on Saturday night.
"I'm feeling fantastic that I'm home, that I'm with my family again. I feel desperately sad for Brett's family. We were very lucky."
Lawyer David Jacobs, who was trapped in his room at the Oberoi/Trident hotel for more than 40 hours, called his family to leave a final message.
"There was a very, very significant fire and I thought that I was going to die, and to such an extent that I actually rang up each of my children and left messages saying goodbye," Mr Jacobs told the Seven Network in Mumbai.
"I was told that they were looking specifically for Britons and Americans and I figured that Australians would be in that category as well."
Garrick Harvison, a NSW winery export manager, was ecstatic to be reunited with family in Sydney on Saturday night.
"I'm ecstatic. That's all I could think about was my family and just getting home and just to be on Aussie soil really," Mr Harvison said.
His wife Shirsten added: "I don't think any of this has hit home at all. We were just saying that it just feels completely surreal, out of a horror movie."
Actress Brooke Satchwell, who arrived back in Australia with her boyfriend, film editor David Gross, on Saturday morning, said she felt "really bloody lucky" to have dodged the militants who stormed the Taj Mahal late on Wednesday.
Satchwell hid in a broom cupboard in a toilet on the ground floor for up to an hour before staff led her out of the hotel.
"I think we're really fortunate that the adrenalin's still pumping and that's keeping us standing, so we'll just get some rest and see family and friends," she told reporters at Sydney Airport.
Mr Gross added: "(Brooke) was so lucky - it was a matter of seconds; she was in that bathroom. We'd all spent time in that lobby in the last five minutes before they came in."
Sydney man Stephen Beatty said it was "fabulous to be home".
"You value this sort of stuff all the time but right now it's a little more in focus," he said, as he was met at the airport by relieved family members.
Other Australians have yet to return home, including David Coker, 23, and long-time girlfriend Katie Anstee, 24.
Ms Anstee was shot in the leg during the attack at Cafe Leopold, shattering her femur, while a bullet grazed Mr Coker's thigh.
Ms Anstee remained in hospital and arrangements were still being made for the pair to return home.
Mr Coker was in good spirits, but badly wanting to board a flight home, his mother Susan Coker said.
"He's keen to get home, very keen to get home," she said.
