Trapped tourists get no explanation for 'unfair' charge

Tourists Mathieu Bekkkai and Laetitia Lambert.

Two French tourists whose hired camper van was struck by a landslide on March 6 never heard back from Wicked Campers about why the pair were charged more than $2500 after the incident.

Mathieu Bekkai, 29, and Laetitia Lambert, 28, both of Normandy, were travelling in their hired camper through the Lower Buller Gorge, when it got stuck on a log.

Mr Bekkai left the vehicle to try and remove the log when the slip fell across the road, hitting him and the camper. He sustained minor injuries.

The camper was not fit for driving after the slip, and Mr Bekkai and Ms Lambert have since travelled to Perth.

Mr Bekkai said Wicked Campers' owner John Webb had not responded to any of his emails, asking why he was unfairly charged a $2000 excess.

Nor has Mr Webb responded to questions from The News about whether the damaged camper was insured, if natural disasters were covered by insurance, why the $2000 excess was taken from Mr Bekkai's account, why Mr Bekkai's and Ms Lambert's bond was kept and why they were charged for the salvage.

The total amount taken by the company came to $2689.76.