Augustana band group, including west central Minnesota students, get out of chaotic Egypt
Augustana College officials confirmed Monday that everyone on the Augustana Band's Egyptian tour had been able to leave the country.
Seventy-one members of the Augustana Band, along with 19 faculty, staff and friends, have been in Egypt since early January on a 25-day, five-concert tour of the country.
Anti-government pro-tests that arose last week caused the band to cancel its final concert on Friday night and move to a hotel that was far away from the protests.
Air travel in and out of the country was disrupted, and college officials spent the weekend making alternate travel plans when their original flights were cancelled, according to information from the Augustana website.
Two groups were able to leave Cairo International Airport for Amsterdam on Sunday, and the last group flew to Amsterdam on Monday morning.
The first two groups returned to Minnesota Monday afternoon and were to fly on to Sioux Falls, S.D., where Augustana's campus is located.
The second group is scheduled to arrive in Minneapolis at 12:15 p.m. today and then fly on to Sioux Falls to return to campus.
Band members from west central Minnesota include Thomas Alexander of Belview, Michelle Erhardt of Benson, Kelsey Hansen of New London, Allison Michaelis of Canby, Devon Ratcliff-Crain of Benson and Ashley Teichert of Montevideo.
