Stranded Bahrainis in Turkey and Iran flown home

TDT | Manama

A group of stranded Bahraini citizens were repatriated from Turkey yesterday on a special Turkish Airlines flight. Some of the Bahrainis flown home were in Turkey for medical treatment. A number of Turkish nationals were also able to return home from Bahrain on the return trip.

The evacuation was carried out in coordination with the Turkish Embassy and other relevant authorities. It was done in compliance with international health requirements to protect the travellers and crew onboard the flight.

Turkish Airlines has obtained the necessary licences for such trips and had set the date of April 21 for the flight, in order to unite families before the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The special flight comes following the cancellation of regular commercial flights due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) across the globe.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health announced the arrival of another Gulf Air-operated flight from Iran as part of the Kingdom’s International COVID-19 Repatriation Programme. Medical protocols preventing the spread of COVID-19 were taken upon their arrival.