Special flight brings back Cypriots from Lebanon

A plane carrying 51 Cypriots who are permanent residents in Lebanon, landed at Larnaca airport late on Thursday evening, Cyprus-Mail reported.

Earlier, the same plane had departed Cyprus with medical supplies for Lebanon. It retuned later with Cypriots whose businesses in Beirut were damaged by Tuesday’s massive explosion.

As per coronavirus protocols, those on the flight were taken to a special area in the terminal and tested for covid-19.

They were free to leave the airport early on Friday morning, where relatives waited outside to greet them.

Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides said that a second flight would be arranged if there were more Cypriots in Beirut wishing to return, he told CyBC’s morning radio broadcast.

Cyprus is also planning on sending a volunteer medical team as well.

“It is moving to see the interest shown by private entities, businesspeople and others to help the Lebanese people one way or another,” Kornelios Korneliou, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs said.

Cyprus has so far dispatched two helicopters, five firefighters and eight specially trained policemen with rescue dogs to help look for survivors in the rubble of the blast.