Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (July 18/05) - A group of Nunavut students were just hours away from being on a double-decker bus in London, England, on July 7, when terrorists killed more than 50 people and injured hundreds of others by attacking the city's transit system.

Three bombs exploded in the subway system at 8:50 a.m. London time, and a fourth destroyed one of London's trademark double-decker buses at 9:47 a.m.

The participants in the Nunavut Youth Abroad Program began their trans-Atlantic journey at 11 p.m. on July 6 in Ottawa and touched down at Heathrow airport at 11 a.m. London time.

On their way to Oste, Botswana - to work for the summer at the Dula Sentle orphanage - the group of eight students and two leaders had planned a one-day stopover in London to visit the famed city on the Thames.

Karen McLarty woke up at 7 a.m. on July 7 in her Rankin Inlet home. Her attention quickly turned across the Atlantic.

Every channel she turned to had the images of a devastated London. All she could think about was her 17-year-old daughter Kelly.

"She told me one of the first things she was going to do was get on a double-decker bus. We were sitting here watching TV and my heart was racing," McLarty said.

Kelly and the others never made it to downtown London.

When they arrived at Heathrow, they learned about the bombings.

The transit system had been shut down and their day trip to London was cancelled. The group stayed at a hotel near the airport instead of in London.

"As soon as they landed, the team leaders contacted our staff. We had heard about the bombings and discussed contacting the families. Before we could do that, we heard from the group," said Chris DeSilva, who founded the program in 1997.

DeSilva's team then contacted the families.

McLarty was relieved to get the call.

"I was at work when I got the call, and we were blessed that we had somebody call us. One of the other parents called us crying and we were able to tell them that the kids were alright," McLarty said.

After the youth finish their summer helping others, they may still get to see Big Ben.

If the schedule can be re-arranged, terrorists won't stop these Nunavummiut from visiting England's capital.

"If it is at all possible, we hope to fix their return schedule so that they can spend their day in London," said DeSilva.