Four hundred and thirty-three (433) Sri Lankans stranded in India, Pakistan, and Nepal will be flown back to the country through special flights between 21-24 April. Following numerous requests made by Sri Lankan students stranded in India, Pakistan, and Nepal after airports were closed due to Covid-19, the Sri Lankan Government has instructed SriLankan Airlines to arrange special flights to repatriate them, Minister of Tourism and Aviation Prasanna Ranatunga said on Monday (20). Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. (AASL) Chairman Major General (Rtd.) G.A. Chandrasiri stated: “We have made all the necessary arrangements at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, to receive the Sri Lankans stranded in various countries, under the directives of the President, Prime Minister, and the Minister of Tourism and Aviation. ” Yesterday (21), flight UL 1206 was headed to Pakistan to bring back 93 Sri Lankans from Lahore and 20 from Karachi. On 23 April, 101 will be flown back from Amritsar, India on flight UL 146. Two more special flights, both on 24 April, will transport 117 Sri Lankans from Coimbatore, India on flight UL 194 and 93 more from Kathmandu, Nepal on UL 1425. The passenger arrival plan was implemented at the BIA as part of the programme of the Government of Sri Lanka to bring back Sri Lankan students stranded in several countries and is being carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. AASL confirmed that all passengers arriving will be received from a remote bay, following which they will be subject to stringent health checks carried out by the officials of the health authorities. All the passengers will be processed through immigration and customs while maintaining a safe distance from each other and the officials providing the services. Furthermore, all the arrangements have been made at BIA to ensure that all precautionary measures are being implemented under the guidance of the Sri Lanka health authorities. Passengers will be subject to standard processes as quickly as possible. This will be followed by medical checks and arrival procedures under the guidance of the health authorities, after which the military forces will transfer all the passengers to the quarantine centres. Sri Lanka’s High Commissions in these states have obtained permission from the respective civil aviation authorities to operate these special flights. The returnees will be handed over on arrival in Sri Lanka to the care of Sri Lanka’s health authorities, armed forces, and other relevant institutions for necessary procedures.