Kathmandu : Altogether 40 Spanish nationals stranded in Nepal since prohibitory order on April 29 will be flown to Spain in a chartered flight on May 19. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has permitted a chartered flight on Tuesday in a Spanish aircraft to be flown to Kathmandu the same day from Spain.

The government of Spain is sending wide-body 330 aircraft to bring back its stranded citizens in Nepal, according to spokesperson Raj Kumar Chettri. The Spanish aircraft will ferry medical goods for Covid-19 response in Nepal and will fly home the Spanish nationals stuck in Nepal since the government of Nepal enforced prohibitory order to contain the spread of second wave of Covid-19.

Since the aircraft is big and the number of Spanish returning home are less, some other Europeans will also board the aircraft to fly their homes, added spokesperson Chettri. CAAN has also approved the chartered flights to Qatar on May 22 and May 25.

These flights will rescue the stranded foreign nationals in Nepal including Qatari nationals. The only international airport in the country-Tribhuvan International Airport- recorded 13 chartered flights today alone. All the commercial international flights were suspended since May 6.

Chartered flights have been, however, in operation to rescue the stranded foreigners or to bring home medical appliances to prevent and control Covid-19 and to treat the infected ones. All the commercial flights-domestic and international ones- have been banned until May 30.