Update: Flight leaves Colombo to pick up Sri Lankans in Wuhan

A special SriLankan Airlines flight left Colombo a short while ago to bring back 33 Sri Lankan students and teachers who had been trapped in the Chinese city of Wuhan following the outbreak of the coronavirus. 

The group had been confined to their hostels and apartments since the city went into lockdown on January 23. Wuhan is the epicentre of the outbreak. 

The flight will land just before midnight in Wuhan. It follows a tense few days during which officials at the Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing conducted discussions with the Chinese Government to permit the special flight to land in order to evacuate the civilians. It is not known when it will leave Wuhan.

There has been a steady stream of Sri Lankans returning also from other parts of China since the coronavirus took hold. As of Thursday, the estimated number of Sri Lankan students and family members remaining in China declined to 284 persons, from the estimated 864 at the commencement of the health emergency. This means 580 persons have returned to Sri Lanka.
 
The Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing, together with the Sri Lanka Consulate General Offices in Shanghai and Guangzhou in China have facilitated travel to Sri Lanka on the regular SriLankan Airlines flights operating to Beijing, Shanghai and Canton with 50% discount on the regular rates. Through discussions with Air China and China Eastern Airlines discounts of 40% - 50% have also been secured.

At a special press conference held earlier this afternoon, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi confirmed that the special flight is expected leave today for Wuhan.

Pix by Amila Gamage