KATHMANDU, MAY 19
Altogether 40 Spanish nationals stranded in Nepal since the prohibitory orders were imposed on April 29 will be flown to Spain on a chartered flight later today .
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal gave permission to Spanish aircraft for a chartered flight on Tuesday to be flown to Kathmandu the same day from Spain.
The government of Spain is sending a wide-body 330 aircraft to bring back its stranded citizens in Nepal, according to CAAN Spokesperson Raj Kumar Chettri.
The Spanish aircraft will ferry medical goods for COVID-19 response in Nepal and will fly home the Spanish nationals stuck in Nepal since the government of Nepal enforced prohibitory order to contain the spread of the second wave of COVID-19.
Since the aircraft is big and the number of Spanish returning home are less, some other Europeans will also board the aircraft to fly to their homes, added Spokesperson Chettri.
CAAN has also approved chartered flights to Qatar on May 22 and May 25. These flights will rescue stranded foreign nationals in Nepal, including Qatari nationals.
The only international airport in the country - Tribhuvan International Airport - recorded 13 chartered flights today alone.
All the commercial international flights were suspended since May 6. Chartered flights have been, however, in operation to rescue the stranded foreigners or to bring home medical appliances to prevent and control COVID-19 and to treat the infected ones. All commercial flights have been banned until May 30.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 20, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
