Tag: Hostage

Eight-Years Ago (15-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 20: Puerto Natales, Chile. Hostage Day 4.

Day four in Puerto Natales. The Chilean Red Cross and Military organized safe passage out of Puerto Natales for the departure for all of the tourists being held against their will in southern Chile. We first had to get to the Red Cross refuge center that was set up in the E3 elementary school to register. Then it was a lot of waiting as the Red Cross tried to organize lists and priorities to depart. There were nearly 1000 folks in the refuge center. A doctor gave me some antibiotics for my upper respiratory infection (that was turning into walking pneumonia. This also moved me up the list so I was with the 2nd group to depart. While at the refuge center, we got a certificate from the Gubernator of Southern Chile stating that we had been detained against our will. This is a series of snapshots taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera documenting the day. Freedom at last. I ended up sleeping in the Punta Arenas airport lobby before getting the first commercial plane to Santiago the next morning. The road between Santiago, and the Santiago International Airport were still being blocked by the protesters. I have to thank Thom Hogan, Rob Noonan, Wilderness Travel, the Chilean Red Cross, and the Chilean Air Force for getting us out safely.



Individual images from the slide-show can be viewed here.

Eight-Years Ago (12-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 17: Torres del Paine National Park to Puerto Natales, Chile. Hostage Day 1.

Roadblock Outside of Puerto Natales, Chile. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19.2 mm, f/3.3, 1/125 sec) from inside our bus. For what happened next you can check out an article written by Thom Hogan.
Little did we know at the time what those black flags represented. Not the way I wanted to end my wonderful Patagonia Photography Safari.

Roadblock outside of Pureto Natales Chile. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (David J Mathre)
Roadblock outside of Pureto Natales Chile. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (15-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 20: Puerto Natales, Chile. Hostage Day 4.

Day four in Puerto Natales. The Chilean Red Cross and Military organized safe passage out of Puerto Natales for the departure for all of the tourists being held against their will in southern Chile. We first had to get to the Red Cross refuge center that was set up in the E3 elementary school to register. Then it was a lot of waiting as the Red Cross tried to organize lists and priorities to depart. There were nearly 1000 folks in the refuge center. A doctor gave me some antibiotics for my upper respiratory infection (that was turning into walking pneumonia. This also moved me up the list so I was with the 2nd group to depart. While at the refuge center, we got a certificate from the Gubernator of Southern Chile stating that we had been detained against our will. This is a series of snapshots taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera documenting the day. Freedom at last. I ended up sleeping in the Punta Arenas airport lobby before getting the first commercial plane to Santiago the next morning. The road between Santiago, and the Santiago International Airport were still being blocked by the protesters. I have to thank Thom Hogan, Rob Noonan, Wilderness Travel, the Chilean Red Cross, and the Chilean Air Force for getting us out safely.



Individual images from the slide-show can be viewed here.

Six-Years Ago (14-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 19: Puerto Natales, Chile. Hostage Day 3.

The southern Chile protesters drove around in vehicles with black flags or southern Chile flags. This was our third day where we were not allowed to leave Puerto Natales. Basically, we were being held hostage until the central government and President restored the gas subsidy to the region.

Strikers on Patrol in Sports Car, Driving Through Puerto Natales. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 125, 5.3 mm, f/5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Strikers on Patrol in Sports Car, Driving Through Puerto Natales. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 125, 5.3 mm, f/5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Refuges Living Rough on the Street of Puerto Natales Cooking Lunch. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 49.2 mm, f/4.9, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Refuges Living Rough on the Street of Puerto Natales Cooking Lunch. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 49.2 mm, f/4.9, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hotel and Rainbow. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 5.1 mm, f/5.4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hotel and Rainbow. Snapshot taken with a Leica V-Lux 20 camera (ISO 80, 5.1 mm, f/5.4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (13-January-2011) — Chile

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 18: Puerto Natales, Chile. Hostage Day 2.

Tangled web of power, phone, and cable lines shot from my hotel window. This was the 2nd day we were held and not allowed to leave Puerto Natales. We were the luck ones that found a hotel where we could stay. There were nearly 1000 others that were staying in an elementary school that was converted into a Red Cross shelter, or just living rough in the open. In addition there were several thousand more stranded in Torres del Paine National Park (Parque Nacional Torres del Paine). At this point, I needed to see a doctor for a bad cough that turned into walking pneumonia, but there wasn’t a doctor or pharmacy available. Also, the US State Department didn’t really believe that we were being held against our will — all having to do with issues of fuel subsidies provided by the central government to the residents of southern Chile. The new President canceled the subsidies, and southern Chile went on strike and wouldn’t let the tourists (one of their main sources of income) leave… Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec).

Tangled web of power, phone, and cable lines shot from my hotel window. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Tangled web of power, phone, and cable lines shot from my hotel window. Image taken with a Leica D-Lux 5 camera (ISO 80, 19 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)