First batch of Turkish citizens from Europe arrive home

By Kenan Irtak

ISTANBUL (AA) - The first plane carrying 108 Turkish citizens from Munich, Germany, arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday after Turkey imposed a travel ban last week to nine European countries amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Turkey banned entry from Germany, Spain, France, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands to help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

An expedition was launched for the return of Turkish citizens in these countries who were there for business, visiting family or education.

Some 3,614 Turkish citizens applied to the Turkish embassies in these nine countries to return.

They will be brought back on 34 Turkish Airlines charter flights by midnight, Turkey time (2100GMT) on Tuesday.

The first plane landed in Istanbul after departing from Munich at 10.05 a.m. local time (0905GMT), carrying 108 passengers, two of which were infants.

The plane's landing strip at Istanbul Airport was cordoned off from normal entry, with health teams in special protective gear standing by upon their arrival.

In addition, police and gendarmerie teams took security measures around the zone.

After health checks, the passengers will be taken to a student dormitory set aside as a quarantine facility in Istanbul.

The novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China last December, and has spread to at least 146 countries and territories. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic.

Out of 187,000 confirmed cases worldwide, the death toll now exceeds 7,400, while more than 80,800 patients have recovered, according to Worldometer, a website that compiles new case numbers.

The current number of active cases is more than 99,000 -- 93% mild and 7% in critical condition.

* Writing by Dilara Hamit in Ankara