NSW: Australian women's lives not in danger: father

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2006
NSW: Australian women's lives not in danger: father

By Drew Cratchley

SYDNEY, April 26 AAP - A New South Wales woman was on the last leg of a trip of a lifetime
when she and her new Australian friend were injured in the latest bombings in Egypt.

Peter Blake says his daughter Georgina Blake, 27, from Harefield near Wagga Wagga in
NSW's south, and her 36-year-old Melbourne friend were shopping when three bombs rocked
the resort town of Dahab on Monday night, local time.

Egypt's interior ministry says at least 18 people died and dozens of others were injured
in the blasts.

Ms Blake and her friend, who has not been named, were evacuated by the Egyptian air
force to Cairo. A third Australian suffered severe shock in the attack.

Mr Blake today said it appeared that neither woman had suffered life threatening injuries.

He said his daughter had surgery on a badly broken shoulder in Cairo yesterday and
the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) had kept him informed of her condition.

"They called me from Canberra at about 5am this morning to say that she was coming
out of the anaesthetic," Mr Blake told AAP.

"There are multiple breaks in her shoulder, arm, and that was quite a job to pin it and plate it.

"She (also) has a cut or a laceration on her thigh. I don't think her life is in danger."

Mr Blake said he believed his daughter had befriended the Melbourne woman while travelling.

"I understand her condition is similar to Georgie's, it's not life threatening," he said.

"I don't know her, I think its an acquaintance made on the trip."

Ms Blake had been fulfilling her "lifelong ambition" of travelling overseas for almost
a year and was due home in a fortnight, her father said.

He spoke to Georgina before the surgery, and she told him she and her friend had been
shopping at the time of the attack.

"She was walking over a bridge to buy some cheap wine," Mr Blake said.

"A bomb went off and they ran back and another went off on the other side.

"I asked her what damaged her shoulder and she didn't know.

"She didn't break the wine, she said, so she's still got some sense of humour."

Mr Blake said he will wait to hear from his daughter later today before making any
decisions about travelling to Egypt.

Egyptian police have detained at least 10 people over the bombings, which foreign holidaymakers
say caused scenes of carnage amongst a cafe, restaurant and supermarket in the tightly
packed streets of the tourist town.

AAP dmc/tam/it/nf

KEYWORD: EGYPT RESORT AUST NIGHTLEAD

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