Priority will be given to those who are in difficult situations, financially and medically. They will travel on board MK 852 and the landing is scheduled for 19 h 35. Relatives will not be granted access to SSRIA airport.
The decision of the High-Level Committee was announced by Joe Lesjongard, the Minister of Public Utilities at a press briefing on Saturday at the Sun Trust Building. These Mauritians, who are on the priority list, are at serious risk of the Omicron variant. However, strict health protocols will be applied and these passengers will be placed in quarantine as soon as they arrive, regardless of their vaccination status and PCR tests. The MPF press release of Saturday 4th December warns relatives of the arrivals not to go to the airport as the passengers will be isolated and taken directly to the quarantine centre.
On this priority list are those who are in poor health, the elderly, the sick and those nearing or at end of their treatment, families with young children, but especially students. Many of them are returning because of the closure of the universities, while others have completed their studies and preferred to return. On the other hand, the requests deemed non-urgent will not be considered as all commercial flights to and from this destination are suspended until further notice. This repatriation operation is under the supervision of Mukhtar Joonas, the Honorary Consulate of Mauritius in Cape Town.
The last aircraft from this source was on Sunday 28th November. South African Airways SA 191 had sent its ferry to pick up its compatriots after the closure of the borders on Friday 26th November with the panic generated by the Omicron variant.
