23 dead bodies brought to TIA from abroad (In Pictures)

494 NEPALI MIGRANT WORKERS REPATRIATED

KATHMANDU, June 19: The suspension of international flights due to the COVID-19 outbreak had completely halted the repatriation of dead bodies of Nepali migrant workers.

But finally, the mortal remains have started arriving in Nepal after nearly three months. Before this, the last dead body was brought to Nepal on March 23, a day before the nationwide lockdown was enforced to curb the spread of coronavirus. An Etihad Airways flight had brought the dead body of Bibek Thapa from the United Arab Emirates.

On Friday, three chartered flights carried 23 dead bodies to Kathmandu Daman, Kuwait and Doha.

According to Tribhuvan International Airport, 20 dead bodies were brought to Kathmandu from Doha via Qatar Airways, two bodies were brought from Daman via Himalayan Airlines and one from Kuwait via Jazeera Airways.

The chartered flights also repatriated 494 Nepali citizens from these destinations.

The TIA said that 43 Nepalis were brought home from Doha, 148 from Dubai, 150 from Kuwait and 153 from Damam, according to the TIA.

On Thursday, 150 Nepali migrant workers from Kuwait, 146 from Oman, 1 from Doha and 117 from Malaysia were repatriated to Kathmandu via Jazeera Airways, Salam Airways, Qatar Airways and Himalayan Airlines respectively.

Photos: Mukunda Kalikote/Reporters’ Club Nepal