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Coronavirus pandemic
Hong KongSociety

Coronavirus: first chartered flights in works for Hong Kong residents stuck in India, sources say

  • Expectant fathers and families struggling with medical issues are among those pleading for the government to bring them home soon
  • The first batch of 300 to be repatriated will come from New Delhi aboard an Air India flight

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Indian health workers examine migrant labourers on Wednesday. Some 3,600 Hong Kong residents are currently stranded in the country, which is on nationwide lockdown. Photo: AP
Alvin Lum
Hong Kong is preparing its first chartered flights for residents of the city stranded in India by the Covid-19 pandemic, hoping to bring about 300 of them home as early as May 14, the Post has learned.
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Sources involved in arranging the repatriation said the initial group would depart from New Delhi aboard an Air India flight, while some residents trapped on the subcontinent said they had been notified of a potential flight from Mumbai that could take place a day later.

Hong Kong’s Immigration Department, which last week flew home 319 people from Pakistan, is in the process of helping about 3,600 residents in India, which has been under a nationwide lockdown since March 24.

Intra-country travel, necessary for Hongkongers who need to reach cities like New Delhi for exit flights, could prove a challenge amid a nationwide lockdown. Photo: AP
Intra-country travel, necessary for Hongkongers who need to reach cities like New Delhi for exit flights, could prove a challenge amid a nationwide lockdown. Photo: AP
Among those stranded are expectant fathers, families struggling with medical needs, and students hoping for a return to school, many of whom have urged Hong Kong authorities to bring them home as soon as possible.
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In addition to the Pakistan flight, the government has previously arranged chartered returns for residents in Japan, Peru and the mainland Chinese city of Wuhan.
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