NATIONALS stranded in Australia has managed to touch down safely at the Honiara International Airport at Henderson from Brisbane and headed straight to the quarantine centres, Tuesday.
This is the first repatriation flight organised by the Government for citizens caught up during the imposition of flight restrictions following the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO).
The media was instructed not to be at the scene via a Joint Media Advisory issued by the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) and the Government Communications Unit (GCU).
It further stated that the Camp Management Team that would be looking after their welfare requested that the media and the public accorded our returning national’s respect for their privacy upon arrival and for the duration of the mandatory 28 days quarantine period.
The Solomon Star understands that all passengers were being thoroughly checked upon arrival before transporting them to the quarantine centres.
The quarantine centres are Guadalcanal Beach Resort (GBR), Vimo Motel, National Hosting Authority (Telekom recreational area), Airport Motel, and Honiara Hotel.
Pacific Casino will be used by the Airlines crew and pilots.
Information the Solomon Star obtained showed that some prominent citizens were among the passengers.
The flight also included local citizens stranded as far as Europe and the United Kingdom, countries known for receiving the brunt of COVID-19’s deadly onslaught.
Another group of citizens is expected to arrive in the country from Fiji and Vanuatu today.
By ANDREW FANASIA
