KATHMANDU: An aircraft of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is leaving for Australia carrying stranded citizens of Australia and New Zealand, today afternoon. This is the third NAC rescue flight since the beginning of lockdown in Nepal.

The wide-body airbus A330 is chartered by the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu to rescue the citizens of Australia and New Zealand as well as Nepalis having permanent residency status, who have been stranded in Nepal due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The flight will depart at 4:55 pm from Tribhuvan International Airport, as per the flight schedule, informed NAC's Spokesperson Archana Khadka. This flight will be the first between federal capital of Nepal, Kathmandu and capital city of Australia, Canberra, she added. As many as 250 citizens of Australia and New Zealand, and Nepalis with PR status, are being repatriated by the Australian government. Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia will be the transit point for the flight to Canberra. Prior to this, NAC operated flights to Brisbane on April 11 and Sydney on May 6 with rescued persons onboard.