Results for repatriation flights

Repatriation flights from Australia and Fiji arrived this afternoon with 167 passengers, confirmed Deputy Police Commissioner ‘Atunaisa Taumoepeau.

Repatriation flights are scheduled to arrive in Tonga on March 3, from New Zealand, Australia and Fiji.

The 129 passengers repatriated from New Zealand on 9 December have tested negative for CoViD-19 in their first round of testing, confirmed Chief Medical Officer (Public Health) Dr Reynold 'Ofanoa on December 11.

Repatriates from Brisbane tested negative for CoViD-19 and were released from quarantine in Nuku'alofa this morning, confirmed Chief Medical Officer (Public Health) Dr Reynold 'Ofanoa today.

Two repatriation flights are being planned for next month to return around 300 people from Christchurch, New Zealand and Brisbane, Australia, confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u today.

The 50 passengers to board the first repatriation flight from Auckland to Tonga will probably be selected next week, confirmed MEIDECC CEO, Paula Ma’u today, 17 June. “If that goes well, it depends on health and their analysis on whether we will increase the number and even the flights.” Otherwise at that rate, with about 7,000 Tongans overseas who want to return to Tonga, it might take years to repatriate everyone and quarantine will be costly. By Eleanor Gee.

Editor's comment: On Friday we reported the government’s announcement that there would be a test/drill repatriation flight, with 50 overseas Tongans arriving on an Air New Zealand cargo flight “next week”, and quarantined for two weeks at the Tanoa Hotel. The problem with our report was that we believed what we were being told at the Prime Minister's press conference held at the Fa'onelua Centre. But the “flight arriving this week” was simply their flight of fantasy.