Students on Augustana band tour all out of Egypt
Augustana College officials have confirmed that the last group of students and other members of the Augustana Band's Egyptian tour left Cairo International Airport this morning en route to Amsterdam.
Two other groups with the band's 25-day concert tour of Egypt had been able to leave Cairo on Sunday, according to updates on the school's website. Seventy-one members of the Augustana Band, along with 19 faculty, staff and friends, have been in Egypt since early January on a five-concert tour of the country.
Band members from west central Minnesota include Thomas Alexander of Belview, Michellem Erhardt of Benson, Kelsey Hansen of New London, Allison Michaelis of Canby, Devon Ratcliff-Crain of Benson and Ashley Teichert of Montevideo.
Anti-government protests that arose last week caused the band to cancel its final concert Friday night and move to a new hotel 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.
The group that flew out this morning will stay overnight in Amsterdam and fly to Minneapolis Tuesday, scheduled to arrive at 12:15 p.m. From Minneapolis, they will fly to Sioux Falls to return to the Augustana campus.
The other groups were expected to land in Minneapolis this afternoon and then fly on to Sioux Falls.
Parents or family members who have questions may contact Augustana Campus Safety at 605-274-4014.
