Independence man stuck in Honduras amid COVID-19 crisis

An Independence man, Rob Camblin, is currently stuck on a small island off the coast of Honduras due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

He was there to become a certified scuba diving instructor.

MCMASTER 41 ACTIONNEWS.RIGHT NOW - A MAN FROMTHE METRO IS STUCK ON ASMALL ISLAND OFF THECOAST OF HONDURAS DUETO THE PANDEMIC -- ANDHIS FRUSTRATION ISGROWING.41 ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK TALKED WITH HIM-- ABOUT HIS STRUGGLESTO GET HOME.HE JOINS US IN THENEWSROOM WITH MORE.ROB CAMBLIN WENT TOTHE TINY ISLAND OF UTILATO LEARN TO BE A SCUBADIVING INSTRUCTOR.THE MARINE CORPSVETERAN HAS NOWSECURED ONE OF AHANDFUL OF FLIGHTS TOGET BACK HOME.BUT HE SAYS IT'S BEENFAR FROM EASY.IT'S WHAT ROB CAMBLINCALLS A PARADISE IN THECARIBBEAN.ONE OF THE TOP FIVESPOTS IN THE WORLD TOLEARN TO BE A SCUBADIVING INSTRUCTOR.CAMBLIN CAME TO THHONDURAN BAY ISLAND OFUTILA AS PART OF HISWORK WITH A LEE'SSUMMIT DIVE SHOPROB CAMBLIN/STUCK INHONDURAS"IT'S A LOT OF FUN ANDTHE PEOPLE ARE VERVERY GRACIOUS."BUT WITH THECORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC,THAT ISLAND PARADISEHAS BECOME ANIGHTMARE.NOW HE'S ONLY ALLOWEOUTSIDE A FEW HOURS ADAY FOR BASIC NEEDSLIKE GETTING FOOD,BOTTLED WATER ANDMEDICAL CARE, CAMBLIN ISSPENDING THE REST OFHIS TIME ALONE IN ANAPARTMENT WITH NO HOWATER.ROB CAMBLIN/STUCK INHONDURAS"THE DAYS ARE JUST LONGAND BORING.

I'VE READALL MY BOOKSCAMBLIN SAYS HE HAD AFLIGHT WEDNESDAY WITHDELTA TO TRAVEL THE 1600PLUS MILES AS THE PLANEFLIES BACK TO KANSASCITY.BUT HE SAYS ALTHOUHE PAID FOR THE FLIGHT,DELTA CANCELED IT.NOW HE'S BOOKEDANOTHER FLIGHT ONUNITED FOR THISSATURDAY.HE SAYS UNITED HAS ONEFLIGHT A DAY THROUGHTHE END OF THEMONTH...AND HEESTIMATES BETWEENUTILA AND THE NEARBYISLAND OF ROATAN, THEREMAY BE AS MANY AS ATHOUSAND AMERICANSTHERE.ROB CAMBLIN/STUCK INHONDURAS"DO YOU THINK THERE'SGOING TO BE ENOUGHFLIGHTS TO GETEVERYBODY OUT OFTHERE WHO WANTS TOGET OUT OF THERE?

YOUKNOW I'M HOPING SO."CAMBLIN SAYS THERE ACURRENTLY NOCONFIRMED COVID-19CASES IN THE BAYISLANDS.HE EXPECTS HIS MOSTRISKY PART OF HISRETURN TRIP WILL BEWHEN HE ARRIVESHOUSTON TO GET HISFLIGHT HOME TO KANSASCITY.ROB CAMBLIN/STUCK INHONDUR"I'M 67 YEARS OLD.

I'MWILLING TO TAKCHANCES TO COME HOMETO MY FAMILY."WHAT CAMBLIN SAYS HASBEEN MOSTDISHEARTENING ANTERRIBLE IS GETTING NOHELP FROM THE U.S.GOVERNMENT.ROB CAMBLIN/STUCK INHONDURAS"IT'S BEEN SUCH A TRIALTO TRY AND GET HOME, I'MNOT EVEN HOME YET THMENTALLY IT STARTS TOWEAR ON YOU."CAMBLIN UNDERSTANDSHE'LL FACE SIMILARRESTRICTIONS IF HE GETSHOME SATURDAYPLANNED.ORIGINALLY, HIS WIFEWAS SUPPOSED TO JOINHIM IN UTILA, BUT IT DIDN'THAPPEN.AS A RESULT, HE HASN'TSEEN HER SINCE EARLYJANUAR