South Africa: Cape Town Kids Stranded in Portugal Finally Flying Home

By Dylan Bettencourt

Twenty-eight young players and coaches were stranded in Portugal after missing return flight bookings following a youth football tournament.

Donations from the public and help from the Tracey Lange Cares Initiative made it possible for the full team to fly home.

A group of young footballers from Cape Town is finally heading home after being stranded in Portugal with no return flights.

The 28 players and coaches from BT Football Academy had travelled to Spain to compete in the Donosti Cup, a major international youth tournament. But when it was time to come back to South Africa, there were no return flights booked for most of the team.

They left South Africa on 6 July and spent a week in the city of San Sebastián. Their return was planned for 14 July, but visa delays meant they only received their travel documents late, and flights were never confirmed.

Academy owner Brandon Timmy explained the situation in an interview with KFM radio host Carl Wastie. He said the team missed their chance to book flights in time, and many of the players had no way of getting home.

Last Saturday, nine of the children and one coach managed to fly home, with their families covering the cost. But the rest, 25 kids and three coaches, were stuck in Lisbon.

The team posted appeals for help on social media, and South Africans quickly responded.

Thanks to donations raised through the Tracey Lange Cares Initiative, the team was finally able to book flights back to Cape Town.

They are expected to arrive home safely before the end of the week.

Read the original article on Scrolla.

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