The national flag carrier, Maldivian, has revealed it has evacuated 4,000 Maldivians stranded abroad amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to PSM News, Director of Ground Operations at Maldivian Ahmed Ibrahim noted 38 repatriation flights were operated in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, evacuating a total of 4,000 locals. The director noted expatriates stranded in the Maldives were repatriated on these flights as well. He added cargo flights operated by Maldivian were also used as repatriation flights.
Additional flights arranged by Maldivian include 11 flights to repatriate 1,094 Bangladeshis from the Maldives. Maldivian also operated a repatriation flight to India on June 10 with about 160 Indians.
Meanwhile, Maldivian has carried over 700 tonnes of cargo on the flights it operated to ensure the country is stocked with sufficient supply of food during the COVID-19 pandemic.