Govt To Charter Rescue Flights To India And Pakistan

The government say officials are "mapping out" plans to charter flights to bring home thousands of Hongkongers stranded in India and Pakistan, though no dates have been set.

All international flights were suspended in the two countries from late March to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

A Security Bureau spokesman said as of Friday, around 5,200 Hong Kong residents contacted the Immigration Department for assistance, and officials are trying to reach others also.

They have also been contacting different airlines on the possibility of chartering flights.

The official said since strict land or air traffic restrictions are in place, and taking into the capacity of Hong Kong’s testing and quarantine capacities, the government has decided to bring the residents back in batches.

People in New Delhi and Islamabad and their surrounding areas will be evacuated first, as well as those with special needs such as people with illness, pregnant women, children and elderly.

They will have to pay for the flights, the spokesman said.

He added no date have been set as it’s still subject to various factors, including the approval time by the two governments and the epidemic situation there.

The spokesman said the government will continue to follow up closely with the Chinese Embassies in India and Pakistan, as well as the consulates-general of the two countries in Hong Kong.

He said updates will be sent to the Hongkongers as soon as the arrangements are confirmed.