FIGHTING and abuse marred the rescue mission of a newlywed man from Kent after he sailed on floodwaters into New Orleans to find survivors.

Andrew Rowling rescued more than 60 people from waterlogged homes before threats of violence forced him to abandon his mission.

The 21-year-old from Chelsfield, near Orpington, moved to Louisiana four months ago to marry his fiancee, Sarah. He carried out the rescue mission with a work colleague.

Andrew said: “As the day went on we began to find more and more people to the point where we didn’t have to look for them – they were looking for us. It became more and more dangerous.

“People were less and less grateful that we were picking them up and we were abused and threatened by people we didn’t pick up. We were accused of being racist by only helping white people in this predominantly black neighbourhood. Needless to say, 90 per cent of the people we rescued were black.”

“People were in difficult situations but somehow we managed to get them out of the water and take them to dry areas. For others it was more a taxi service,” he said.

“Buildings were on fire and we saw dead cats floating in the water. At one point we took an elderly diabetic to the hospital but they were evacuating it and had no supplies.”

Andrew, a former pupil at The Priory School in Tintagel Road, Orpington, lives with Sarah in Lafayette, 140 miles west of New Orleans. They were married in June.

About 300 boats left their town on a mercy mission but most were refused entry by the authorities. Andrew and his work colleague Pat’s boat was rejected, so they turned back and sailed into the city unaided.

“We arrived in the south-west and the scene was unbelievable. The water was eight feet in some places, full of petrol, trees, garbage, tiles and cars,” Andrew said.

“We started travelling down streets with the engine off, shouting and waiting for a response.

“We found people stepping outside into chest-high water or being taken from second-storey windows into the boat, with their dogs too.”

After the pair ferried several survivors to safety their trip began to be marred by fighting and abuse.

“We heard reports of boats being hijacked at gunpoint and after visiting a very loud house we decided it was time to go,” Andrew said.

“There were about 20 African-Americans there hurling abuse at us and fighting to decide who should get in the boat.

“After dropping them off we made the decision to head back to the truck, hoping it hadn’t been stolen.”