Tonga’s second repatriation flight arrived this afternoon with 150 passengers coming from New Zealand. One very happy family was waiting beside the road at Fua'amotu village near the airport, to welcome home one of the passengers, a 70-year-old father and grandfather, whom they hoped could see them as the quarantine buses left the airport.

Standing in front of their home situated across Fua'amotu International Airport, and carrying her two-month old baby 'Apitanga, Silia Tu’ivai Maile told Matangi Tonga that her father Fuapau Tu'ivai was on the flight. Fuapau left for New Zealand in February this year on a trip related to his church, and had been due to fly back home on the same day Tonga first diverted flights in March.

“We are happy that he’s back home. We are even surprised that he was on the first flight out," said Silia.

He had been staying with extended family in New Zealand. “Furthermore, our mother is on lockdown in Australia. So we are happy that one of our parents has returned to us. He also gets to meet his new grandson, who was born while he was in New Zealand,” she said.

2 weeks quarantine

The first motorcade of 37 men, all seasonal workers, were taken to Taliai Military Camp at Fua'amotu.

The rest of the passengers were escorted to Tanoa Hotel in Nuku'alofa, accompanied by Tonga Police and other emergency services. All incoming passengers must remain in quarantine for 14-days.

Passengers were required to take a CoViD-19 test four-days before travel and carry proof of a negative result.

They will also be tested upon arrival and before their quarantine period is up here.

Health workers looking after passengers staying at Taliai Military Camp will stay at the nearby Kupesi Hotel, while another health team stays at the Tanoa Hotel.

This is Tonga's second repatriation flight. The first from Fiji brought home 57 Tongans on July 13 and they have all cleared quarantine requirements.

Tonga remains CoViD-19 free with no reported cases.