Government rescue flights to continue as 20,000 stranded Britons make it home
Over 20,000 Britons stranded abroad when countries closed their borders have been brought home on 21 Government-chartered flights, said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab at the daily Covid briefing on Wednesday.
He said the figures included 9,000 flown home from India, 2,000 from South Africa and 1,200 from Peru.
In addition, Raab said the Government had worked with overseas governments to help over 1.3 million Britons return to the UK on commercial flights.
"We will continue with this unprecedented effort," said Raab, adding that 28 additional flights would be bringing back 7,000 Britons from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh by May 7. The Government is also arranging additional rescue flights from New Zealand.
"As long as there are people in a predicament, we will see what can be done," said Raab.
He said the Government had also helped complete the ‘daunting’ task of repatriating 19,000 Britons who were on cruise ships when the Foreign and Commonwealth Office introduced a ban on non-essential travel on March 17.
The last of the cruise passengers returned home last week.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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