Since the coronavirus outbreak began, Mongolia has evacuated 4300 of its citizens from pandemic-hit countries. Despite difficulties, such as air crews having to go into quarantine along with the people they have flown home, the evacuation flights are to continue. MIAT, Mongolian Airlines will fly to the South Korean tomorrow (30 April) to evacuate 273 its nationals. Seoul’s Incheon International Airport has developed into a transport hub for evacuation flights in the Asia-Pacific region; tomorrow’s evacuees have gathered from seven countries. The evacuation planes will fly to Seoul again on 1 May and to Frankfurt on 2 May. The second flight to the S.Korean capital will bring back Mongolians who have been in detention centres for overstaying their visas as well as illegal workers.

Only MIAT has the right to conduct the evacuation flights to foreign countries due to international air agreements. Currently, some 9900 Mongolians who are stuck in foreign countries have applied for the evacuation charters and the number is increasing day by day. For example, 500 Mongolians who are trapped in Turkey has requested to return home; the issue is currently under discussion.

Mongolia is conducting evacuation flights to the maximum of its ability, but these are constrained by its capacity of receiving and isolating suspected people as soon as they arrive.