First repatriation flight from Ukraine lands in Hanoi

A Vietnam Airlines flight carrying 287 Vietnamese people leaving Ukraine arrives at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport at noon on March 8. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – A Vietnam Airlines flight carrying 287 Vietnamese people leaving Ukraine arrived at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport at noon on March 8.

Departing from the Romanian capital city of Bucharest, it is the first repatriation flight arranged and fully funded by the Government of Vietnam to bring home Vietnamese living in war-ravaged areas in Ukraine. The passengers included 71 children aged under 12.

The returnees are welcomed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu at the airport. (Photo: VNA)

They were welcomed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu and representatives from the Vietnam Fatherland Front and concerned ministries at the airport.

As of 5:00pm on March 6, more than 2,600 Vietnamese nationals had been evacuated from Ukraine by Vietnamese missions in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Of the people, over 1,700 were moved to Poland, some 290 to Hungary, nearly 600 to Romania, and more than 40 to Slovakia.

The returnees are evacuated by the Vietnamese mission to Romania before boarding the flight home. (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese missions have assisted the people in completing required legal steps to enter these third countries and cooperated with local authorities and Vietnamese associations to provide them with temporary accommodations, food and other necessities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been busy working with concerned ministries and agencies and airlines for the takeoff of two repatriation flights. One from Romania has just arrived in Hanoi while the other will depart from Poland on March 9./.

VNA