1 May 2020

Europeans stranded in Pacific by Covid-19 restrictions return home

11:32 am on 1 May 2020

More than 400 people from Europe who were stranded in the Pacific because of the Covid-19 pandemic have left on a charter flight.

The Fiji Airways flight left Nadi on Thursday.

The European Union's ambassador for the Pacific, Sujiro Seam, said more than 1,000 Europeans were stranded by lockdowns in 13 Pacific countries.

He said the flight took more than a month of effort and coordination with local governments, airlines and diplomatic missions to get the citizens from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Mr Seam said the EU will now focus on getting Europeans in the Solomon Islands and Palau home.

A Fiji Airways aircraft.

Photo: Fiji Airways