A couple from Londonderry remain stranded in Australia after their return flight was cancelled. Stephen and Ann Marie Powell travelled to New South Wales to visit their son Laurence, who has lived there for ten years.

The pair planned to fly home via Doha but the airline cancelled the flight due to missiles striking the area. Qatar Airways offered a flight to Doha on 22 March without a connection onward, leading to full cancellation.

Alternative flights through Singapore to London cost over £6,000, which the couple cannot pay. They have received no response from the airline by phone or email.

The British Consulate advised contacting Qatar Airways first for assistance. Ann Marie Powell works in a deli in Londonderry and faces lost income. Stephen Powell drives buses for the Education Authority and had planned to resume work on 18 March after time off for arthritis.

They expected to arrive in Dublin on Monday but now face uncertainty. The couple stays with their son, a manager at an engineering plant spray bay.