THE Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has confirmed the evacuation flight back to the UK for British nationals on the Diamond Princess in Japan, following the outbreak of coronavirus.
Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, said that the evacuation flight to depart Tokyo on Friday (21).
“Details have been sent to those who have registered for the flight. We urge other British nationals still seeking to leave to contact us.” He said.
“We will continue to support British nationals who wish to stay in Japan.”
The evacuation happens at a time when Japan announced two elderly Japanese passengers have died who were aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
This was the first fatality from the cruise ship where more than 600 people are believed to have been infected with the deadly coronavirus.
Diamond Princess was originally carrying a total of 3,711 passengers.
According to reports, there were 78 Britons stuck on the ship since February 3. At least five British nationals, including elderly couple David Abel, and his wife Sally, tested positive and were receiving treatment.
The repatriated will be quarantined at accommodation at Arrowe Park Hospital, near Liverpool, in northern England on their return, said the health ministry.
The British-flagged Diamond Princess arrived in Yokohama on Feb 3. The ship was quarantined after the virus was diagnosed in a man who disembarked last month in Hong Kong.
Britain's final evacuation flight from Wuhan, carrying more than 200 people, landed at a Royal Air Force base in central England on February 9. A plane carrying 83 British and 27 European Union nationals from Wuhan landed in Britain at the end of January.
So far, Hong Kong (two), the Philippines (one), Japan (three)France (one) and South Korea (1) have reported deaths outside China due to COVID-19.
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Anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, gestures before arriving at Folkestone Police Station in Folkestone, Britain, October 25, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J Ratcliffe