Coronavirus: Hong Kong eyes chartered flights to bring home residents stranded in Peru, Morocco

Hong Kong authorities are investigating the possibility of using chartered flights to bring home city residents stranded in Peru and Morocco amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Post has learned. The news follows Friday’s revelation that a 64-year-old man from Hong Kong infected with the virus had been found dead in his hostel in Peru’s Cusco region. As of Monday, the Immigration Department had received 89 assistance requests from Hong Kong residents in Peru, including 30 tour group members. Five Hongkongers have already departed Peru on their own. Meanwhile, at least 37 Hong Kong residents remain stranded amid lockdown in Casablanca and Marrakech in Morocco. Another 113 have already boarded flights to leave the country. A government source said on Monday that authorities were considering sending chartered flights to bring the stranded residents back home, but that they faced a number of hurdles. “As there are no direct flights flying between Peru and Hong Kong, we need to find airlines that could do the job. Where to stop over is also a consideration, as some countries have banned transit,” the source said. The source said that given residents were scattered across Peru, including in Cusco, authorities also needed to consider how to first transport everyone to the country’s capital to board an international flight. Flying from Cusco to Lima takes about 90 minutes while the bus journey takes more than 20 hours and that was before the lockdown. Hong Kong tourist dies of Covid-19 in Peru “With a stopover, the flight length [to Hong Kong] could last up to 30 hours. We need to seek medical advice to minimise the risks of infection,” the source said. Another senior government source confirmed authorities were facing similar constraints in arranging a flight from Morocco to Hong Kong. “We want to do it as soon as possible, but we don’t think a flight could be arranged within days,” the second source said. “After we successfully find an airline, agree to the costs and sign contracts, we still need to submit an application to the countries concerned for landing approval.” He added the passengers would have to pay for their own tickets. The Immigration Department has already told some Hongkongers about the possibility of chartered flights, according to Civic Party lawmaker Jeremy Tam Man-ho and Kwai Tsing district councillor Rayman Chow Wai-hung. “The Immigration Department has notified a Hong Kong resident about arranging charted flights, but no details were specified,” Tam said. Coronavirus nightmare for passengers stuck on ‘death ship’ Chow said similar messages were relayed to others in Peru on Saturday. “This is a good move … and I hope the chartered flights can [take place] earlier,” Tam said, adding that local transport had mostly stopped in the country the lockdown was being monitored by the Peruvian army. At least one Hong Kong resident lived in the same hostel where the 64-year-old tourist died, according to Chow. But local authorities have yet to evacuate the hostel. “The situation in Peru is deteriorating. Residents in the same hostel are still living there, only receiving temperature checks but not further quarantine,” Chow said. A Hong Kong tourist who gave his name only as Kenny managed to leave Peru the just before the country closed its borders. He said locals were in a state of panic. “Locals were rushing to buy supplies before the lockdown,” he said. “People are desperate to leave, and the airport is full of people crying and begging to get a seat to leave.” He managed to return to Hong Kong after multiple transit flights, a journey that took more than a week. A Hong Kong woman, whose sister and brother-in-law were in Casablanca, Morocco, said the family was prepared to pay for seats on a chartered flight, but the most pressing matter was finding the flights first. Money is not a big concern. It’s all about coming back home Hong Kong woman with family in Casablanca “Money is not a big concern. It’s all about coming back home,” she said. The couple was told by the Sunflower Travel, which organised the tour group to Peru, it was willing to pay for plane tickets from a third place to Hong Kong. A government spokesman on Sunday said Peru had declared a state of emergency, imposed strict restrictions on all land and air traffic, and closed its borders. Authorities have contacted the Chinese embassy there and a number of airlines to try to secure bookings or arrange flights for the return of the stranded Hong Kong residents. As of Sunday, Peru had reported 852 confirmed cases and 18 death related to the disease, according to the Ministry of Health. The United States embassy in Peru previously said it had repatriated about 1,200 Americans.