A total of 238 Tongan nationals have returned home on the first repatriation flights for the year.
Twenty-four Tongans stranded in Samoa arrived on a government-chartered flight operated by Lulutai Airlines around midday yesterday (Thursday).
A second flight carrying 230 passengers arrived from Auckland, New Zealand.
According to the CEO for MEIDECC, Paula Ma’u, the flight from New Zealand landed at 2:30pm with 214 nationals.
The other passengers were Samoan nationals who later left for Apia on another flight.
All returning passengers are being quarantined at Tanoa Hotel and Makeke Camp for the next fortnight and are required to self-isolate at home for seven days after the two weeks quarantine period.
The next repatriation flight is scheduled to arrive from New Zealand on 4 February.
Over 1,400 Tongans have been repatriated since July 2020.
Photo Tonga Police