KATHMANDU, AUGUST 8

A number of Nepalis who have lost their jobs in the Gulf and other labour destinations and were stranded due to the COVID-19 have been repatriated and the process of evacuation is on.

As per Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), 1,519 Nepalis returned home today via a total of nine repatriation flights.

Himalaya Airlines repatriated 154 Nepalis and Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) evacuated 147 from Dammam in Saudi Arabia. NAC also repatriated 258 Nepalis from another Saudi city, Riyadh.

Himalaya Airlines evacuated 156 passengers along with one dead body from Malaysia.

Malindo Air also conducted two flights from Malaysia, evacuating 173 and 171 passengers, respectively.

Meanwhile, Air Arabia evacuated 167 Nepalis from Sharjah, Fly Dubai brought home 157 passengers from Dubai and Etihad Airways evacuated 136 passengers from Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.

TIA has stated that more Nepalis will be returning home via seven scheduled flights on Sunday.

Amid this, six domestic flights were also conducted today. Summit Air conducted two flights to Dolpa and Simikot from Kathmandu, Manang Heli conducted two flights to Lukla from Kathmandu, while Prabhu Heli conducted a flight to Hetauda. Similarly, Air Dynasty departed for Biratnagar from Kathmandu today.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 9, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.