Turkish plane lands in Mongolia with evacuees

By Faruk Zorlu and Ali Murat Alhas

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AA) - A Turkish cargo plane, en route to Turkey on Saturday to evacuate Turkish citizens from Wuhan, the heart of deadly coronavirus outbreak, landed in Mongolia’s capital to refuel after three hours flight.

Turkish Armed Forces’ A400M type cargo plane departed from Wuhan, China on Saturday airlifting 42 people, including the citizens of Turkey and other nearby countries.

Passengers' health conditions are good and their oxygen levels as well as body temperature are normal, the officials told Anadolu Agency reporter on board.

With 11 military personnel, six health employees, two press members and one Foreign Ministry representative on board, the plane landed in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital at 3 p.m. local time (0700GMT), to replenish its fuel storage.

During the refueling, the passengers are going through medical examinations.

The plane is expected to complete its refueling in one hour and leave Mongolia to arrive in Turkey at around 7 p.m. local time (1600GMT).

The Turkish plane, at the initiative of the Health Ministry, evacuated 42 people, including the citizens of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Albania, and Georgia.

The plane also delivered medical equipment -- dispatched by Turkey’s state-run aid and development agency (TIKA) and Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) -- to China.

The coronavirus, so named because under the microscope it resembles a crown, has killed at least 259 people in China, with nearly 12,000 infected. More than 118,000 people are under medical observation.

Since its outbreak late last year, China has put Wuhan under lockdown in a bid to contain the virus and is building a 1,000-bed hospital to treat those affected.

Beyond China, the virus has spread to Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the U.S., Singapore, France, Vietnam, and Canada.

Travelers from China are being screened for the virus at airports worldwide. Several airlines have suspended flights to Wuhan.