KATHMANDU, Feb 11: The government is planning to send a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) aircraft to Wuhan – the center of coronavirus outbreak – to evacuate Nepali students on February 15.
During a meeting between the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the airlines, it was decided to send an Airbus A330 to Hubei province of China on February 15.
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“The government in co-ordination with Nepal Airlines is sending Airbus A330 to China on Saturday. Meanwhile the government will ready the quarantine facilities for the evacuees,” an official who attended the meeting said, adding that the aircraft will fly to China only after getting a nod from the cabinet.
Following the decision of the meeting, the national flag carrier is making internal preparations to fly to China. “The aircraft will fly to China without hampering regular flight schedules,” Archana Khadka, spokesperson of Nepal Airlines, said.
Earlier, a total of 180 students in Wuhan had submitted an application at the Embassy of Nepal in China calling for earliest possible evacuation of the students.
According to the Ministry of Health, those evacuated from China would be quarantined at several locations in Kathmandu Valley for 14 days. The government is setting up quarantine facilities at Shivapuri, Ichangunarayan, Suryabinayak and Kharipati in the Valley.
