70 locals abroad to be evacuated via Sri Lankan Airlines flight

Foreign Ministry of Maldives has stated that 50 Maldivian students in Belarus will be evacuated along with 23 locals returning from the UK on Sunday.

Due to COVID-19, travel restrictions have been in place across the world. Many locals including students and people traveling for medical purposes have also been stranded abroad. The government has been working to evacuate them back home.

They will be traveling on a Sri Lankan flight. Students in Belarus are expected to travel from Minsk to London on Saturday in order to travel back to the Maldives via this flight.

The Foreign Ministry stated that it was working with the Maldivian Embassy in Germany, the Maldivian High Commission in the UK, and relevant institutions of the UK as well as Sri Lankan airlines to make arrangements for the flight.

Foreign Ministry stated that tickets are to be purchased privately in order to travel via this flight. Those arriving back via this flight will be required to complete a 14-day quarantine period before being released.

The government has previously carried out repatriation flights to countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and India among others. The government also arranged care packages to be sent to families and loved ones in Sri Lanka.