BajaNomad

U.S. Consulate/Plane Hijacking

Bill Collector - 4-22-2008 at 12:56 PM

U.S. Consulate/Plane hijacking

Last Wednesday when Marek and Lynn pulled up to our house was the first time we had meet them and their daughters. As we were showing them the unit, Lynn mentioned the reason they didn’t have but one suitcase they had been hijacked. I just stopped and asked where you in Mulege she said yes, I told her I had been reading about it on the internet. On Thursday we told them we thought it would be a good idea to contact the Consulate in Cabo to make sure they would be able to fly out. They told him they were already aware of the problems they had all the papers he would need. They finally started to relax, play on the beach enjoy what was left of their vacation.
Monday morning Marek asked if he could use the phone to call Cabo to make an appointment with the consulate for today. When he called they changed from YES we can help you to NO we can’t do anything. They took off to Cabo not wanting to wait till today since they weren’t sure how long it was going to take. They were told “you can either drive the car or take the bus to Tijuana” then you can try to walk across. There happened to be a Mexican lady there at the time she looked at Lynn and told her DO NOT TAKE THE BUS it isn’t safe. They did give them some paper work said this is all we can do. It’s up to the airlines now if they will accept it, they were told that the airlines wouldn’t accept it. The whole time they were never given any encouragement. When they got back they were both ready to explode. We all started thinking of how we could get a picture ID. We thought if there was any way we could get something scanned down here we might be able to make it work. They called their nephew in Idaho had him go to their house get the girls library cards Lynn thought they had a pictures on them. While that was being done we took them out to dinner. While there the phone rings the nephew said NO pictures on the cards. I said just scan them to me we can do the rest at this end. When we got home we took pictures of the girls and Lynn. Then I contacted a good friend in the states told him we were sending pictures & library card explained what and why we needed this done. Marek then got back on the internet contacted the State Departments hot line was put on live chat., they said they were aware of the hijacking. They then sent him to a rep in Mexico City, from there they gave him the number to call the US Embassy in Tijuana it’s now midnight. That person was so good and told him not to worry they have never had any one turned away. He took the time to explain everything to Marek. When morning came we had the downloads with the library cards complete with pictures of the girls, we used Lynn’s Costco card with a new updated picture. We had library cards scanned from Idaho, sent to Baja then to California then back to Baja. They are at the airport now, we have said a little pray this family gets home tonight.
Barb

Skeet/Loreto - 4-22-2008 at 01:00 PM

Thanks for the good Report. Your efforts are appreciated.

God bless you and your Friends.

Skeet/Loreto

bajaguy - 4-22-2008 at 01:04 PM

If'n I were them, I would be burning up the e-mails, phone, and fax lines to my US Congressional and Senate representatives, and also putting in a little face time with them also. This is totally unacceptable. I hope they got the names of the Consular people that they talked to

Diver - 4-22-2008 at 01:09 PM

Another reason to leave copies of your driver's license, birth certificate and passport accessible to someone at home when you travel abroad. We leave copies of air tickets, insurance policies, hotel confirmations and anything else we might need if lost.

Sure hope these guys get home as planned - they deserve a break !

.

longlegsinlapaz - 4-22-2008 at 01:11 PM

As a USA citizen, the America Consulate in Cabo is a terrible embarrassment to me! What exactly IS their function, if it's not for coming to the aid of US citizens who find themselves in trouble in a foreign country?:fire::fire: Thankfully, the US Consulate in TJ appears to take a more responsible & compassionate approach!

bajaboolie - 4-22-2008 at 01:13 PM

Oh my gosh, what a nightmare! Well, that's beurocracy for you, I suppose, but shame on the consulate in Cabo for just turning their backs on the ordeal. I don't understand why people (in the position like those at the consulate) don't take the attitude of "what can I do to help these people?" instead of "it's not my problem" and "those are the rules". Life's better with creative thinkers. Ugh, I'm just getting mad now.

Anyway, I'm sure they'll be fine. I'm sorry for their experience with the hijackers as well as select government officials. Tell them to sign on as Nomads and let us know how it went. They could write a book!

Pescador - 4-22-2008 at 07:46 PM

In my past life I used to run a home for emotionally disturbed children and had constant contact with the Department of Social Services who are the same type of beauracrats as these guys and we developed a saying: When you have to go to the chicken coop to get something done, it sure is nice when you occasionaly find an eagle in the midst of all those chickens.
Sure sounds like they staffed the consulate with chickens. They sit around and cluck but never really get anything important done.

MexicoTed - 4-22-2008 at 08:15 PM

No excuses, but the "consulate" in Los Cabos is only a representative of the actual consulate in Tijuana. Bajaboolie is right though, there attitude should have been to do anything they could to help these people and it looks like the first thing they should have done was call the consulate in Tijuana. Marek & Lynn need to make sure the Consulate in TJ is aware of the treatment they received.

Here's the official info of both:

The U.S. Consulate General Tijuana:
Ave. Tapachula # 96
Colonia Hipodromo, 22420
Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

Telephone:
(664) 622-7400
(Dialing from the U.S. 011-52 + phone number)

Faxes:
# Public Affairs Section: (664) 681-8592
# American Citizen Services: (664) 686-1168
# Non-Immigrant Visas: (664) 634-3069
# Consul General: (664) 622-7625

E-mail:
# American Citizen Services inquires: ACSTijuana@state.gov


Consular Agent in Cabo San Lucas
(An extension of the Consulate in Tijuana)

Blvd. Marina Local C-4
Plaza Nautica
Centro
Cabo San
Lucas, B.C.S. 23410

Monday-Friday: 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Phone: [52] (624) 143-3566,
Fax: [52] (624) 143-6750

E-Mail: usconsulcabo@hotmail.com

Consular Agent: Michael J. Houston

greybaby - 4-22-2008 at 08:58 PM

And I am saying a prayer for this family right now as we await their safe return to Idaho. They have been through so much. Thank heavens the consulate in Tijuana was helpful. I only hope they're not so traumatized by this experience that they never experience Baja again. That would be a tragedy.

Hook - 4-22-2008 at 11:11 PM

:fire::fire::fire::fire::fire:

This story demands to be told to the press in the US. It wont matter if it's left-leaning like the LA Times or right-leaning like the OC Register or maybe even Fox News. Both will find biased reasons for publicizing it.

It shouldnt matter what outlet of the US Consulate you contact in this age of instantaneous communications. What, we are only supposed to get in trouble within an xxx mile radius of the main Consulate in foreign countries? That's crap!!

Time for our Consulates to provide help to ANY American citizens first (not just ones with corporate or govermental connections) and ask questions later. They do it in Iraq for soldiers and contractors; they can do it in a border country for a family from Idaho.

I want this Administration gone so bad.................so bad I'm willing to vote Democrat! :fire:

Stickers - 4-23-2008 at 01:26 AM

You must go to a "real" consulate or embassy (usually in the capitol of that country).

We lost our passports when abroad and had to go to the consulate 300 miles away. They told us to first get passport photos taken and bring them in with a police report. We were then quickly issued new passports.
They had an office that was specifically set up for this purpose and it required an actual "consulate person" be there. This is a big deal making passports instantly. We didn't have birth certificates or anything else, just someone to vouch for us. We then had to meet face to face with the official, not a clerk or secretary or foreign worker, and get them to buy our story. The whole thing didn't take long and we were quite pleased, although the drive took all day.

BTW the passport was only good for 90 days, enough to get home and then get a new 10year one issued.

Bob and Susan - 4-23-2008 at 06:49 AM

“consular agent” definition:
an official serving as a consul at a
place of little commercial importance :lol: (cabo)

Basic Function of Position:
The agent provides USA citizens with emergency and non-emergency services…
assistance and guidance…
24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The agent accepts applications for passports…
and does Consular Reports of Birth Abroad…

The agent maintains positive relationships with government and local authorities

Bob and Susan - 4-23-2008 at 07:13 AM

why would a consul have to use a hotmail email address for Consulate stuff???
:?:
NOT very secure:?:

E-Mail: usconsulcabo@hotmail.com

Another idea:

djh - 4-23-2008 at 07:39 AM

I hope my fellow Idahoans make it home with no further incidents or stress.... They've sure been through enough.

Another Idea that I've done for years:

I scan copies of my:

US Passport
Idaho Drivers License
Mexican FM-3

and a few other documents specific to my needs:

And I Email it to my own Hotmail account, where I keep it in a seperate Email folder (entitled Passports).

If I ever have an incident, I can log onto any computer with internet access and a printer.... and I have color copies of my paperwork... It isn't the original, of course, and I have never HAD to try to make way with copies, but I think I sleep better knowing they're there just in case I need them.

IF you use a small thumb drive / jump drive, you could also save scanned copies of the same to a thumb / jump drive and password protect the specific file (in case you were to have it stolen or lost...)

djh
Quote:
Originally posted by Diver
Another reason to leave copies of your driver's license, birth certificate and passport accessible to someone at home when you travel abroad. We leave copies of air tickets, insurance policies, hotel confirmations and anything else we might need if lost.

Sure hope these guys get home as planned - they deserve a break !

.

shari - 4-23-2008 at 07:56 AM

Hey DJH,that's a brilliant idea...It's neat that helpful things come out of these tragedies to help others.... learn by default...I have my documents scanned but not in an accessable place if I'm not at home so this is a terrific suggestion...gracias...and so sorry for the misfortune of the family.

Baja&Back - 4-23-2008 at 08:52 AM

DJH: What a phenomenally great idea!!! I'm going with it, too.
Everybody should do that. It's the simple things that work!

BTW: Was the plane ever recovered?

capt. mike - 4-23-2008 at 09:07 AM

they found one in sinaloa same type and N number reportedly.
nothing new since that report tho.

Bill Collector - 4-23-2008 at 01:22 PM

This is from Marek.


Hi Rod and Barb,

We’re home and safe. Thank you for all you’re help in getting us out. Don’t know what we would have done without you. I think since we escalated this up a bit the night before we left, Tijuana put some pressure on. Roberto at USAIR was very understanding and got us on that Airplane! Read your link and you are right to the point. Senator’s office called on the way to Cabo and offered their assistance. We are doing the ID theft and bank mess cleanup today but will try to call later…..



Love,

Marek & Lynn and kids

Bill Collector - 4-23-2008 at 01:26 PM

We agree the consulate in Cabo is fine with something small that requires a band aid. Others have used him for renewing passports nothing to complain. When it came down to see if he can do the big stuff he failed. Just glad that the US State Department has a hotline. That is how Marek got to the right person in Tijuana.

bajaboolie - 4-23-2008 at 02:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bill Collector
... Roberto at USAIR was very understanding and got us on that Airplane! ...



Hooray for Roberto at USAIR! (and for lots of others, I'm sure. Glad you were able to help support them, Bill Collector, I'm sure it was an honor)

Glad they're back home safely.