Special charter flight operates from Colombo to Bhutan

A special ‘Tashi Air’ charter flight was operated yesterday from Colombo to Paro, Bhutan to carry Bhutanese students studying in various universities in Sri Lanka back to Bhutan.

The special flight was operated due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country resulting in the closure of the universities in Sri Lanka.

The flight, operated by Tashi Air, departed Colombo at 12.15 p.m. carrying 93 Bhutanese students back home. The Government of Bhutan will operate a quarantine facility for the returning students from Sri Lanka. The students will be monitored for any signs of infection for a duration of two weeks by a qualified team of doctors and staff members.

Honorary Consul for Bhutan in Sri Lanka Abbas Esufally took expressed his appreciation to the Government of Sri Lanka, the respective deans of the universities, the Civil Aviation Department and the Airport Authority for facilitating the departure of the students and for expediting the special approvals for the operation of this special charter flight to ferry the students back home.

The COVID-19 outbreak has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).