It's terribly sad and it must have been a awful experience. I do feel sorry for what they must be going through emotionally and hope they recover from the shock soon.
But financially? Anyone who travels abroad, especially with that kind of equipment on them, should have travel insurance. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but travelling without insurance (as she admits they were in her blog) is just plain stupid. It's not as if you can 'accidentally' travel without insurance like you can 'accidentally' leave your car unlocked or your front door open.