But a successful banker from Macduff discovered last week that the world is a changed place.

In a scene more familiar from the movies, he found himself at the heart of one of the world's worst terrorist attacks in years.

Yet, in the middle of the carnage and never sure when the door of his room could burst open, and fanatics looking to kill Americans and Brits burst in, he had the presence of mind to use his laptop computer to e-mail out to the outside world.

Not to plead for help, but to let his family know he was ok, as the pictures of the bloody chaos flashed across millions of TV screens across the world.

The world is changing in many ways: banking work now involves world travel and, apparently, a level of danger which only SAS training would prepare you for.

But when the chips were down, a man without any of this training thought first of his family, and how worried they would be.

The details of Mr Hunt's story and of many other hostages, the lucky ones and the unlucky ones, have not yet emerged – and may never. Modern corporations tend to throw a blanket of secrecy over sensitive events, as do government security agencies and foreign offices. And sometimes, the people involved do not want to re-live the event.

But everyone can share in the joy and relief that a local man has made it home safely to his family.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---