Passengers from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) are seen on a specially-arranged bus heading for a quarantine center in the New Territories after arriving at Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)
The chartered flight taking the first batch of Hong Kong residents from the virus-hit Diamond Princess landed at the airport on Thursday, raising the curtain of the largest evacuation by the HKSAR government in recent years.
HONG KONG, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The first chartered flight arranged by the government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday morning, bringing back 106 Hong Kong residents stranded in the novel coronavirus-inflicted Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
With many Hong Kong residents still on board the ship, the back-home journey raised the curtain of the largest evacuation by the HKSAR government in recent years.
The specially-arranged buses, carrying passengers from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), head for a quarantine center in the New Territories in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Gang)
BACK HOME
"I can finally sleep tight at night," a passenger said after getting on a bus at the airport.
The chartered flight landed at the Hong Kong International Airport at around 8:30 a.m. local time. The passengers were taken directly from the airport to a quarantine center in the New Territories by specially-arranged buses to undergo a 14-day quarantine.
Another batch of Hong Kong residents are expected to return to Hong Kong later on a second chartered flight.
Diamond Princess, initially carrying around 3,700 passengers and crew from more than 50 countries and regions, has been quarantined at the Yokohama Port south of Tokyo since Feb. 5 after a passenger who disembarked in Hong Kong on Jan. 25 tested positive for novel coronavirus.
Photo taken on Feb. 19, 2020 shows the "Diamond Princess", a cruise ship which has been kept in quarantine at the port of Yokohama in Japan. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)
According to the Japanese government, 621 people have been confirmed for novel coronavirus infection on the vessel as of Wednesday.
Secretary for Security of the HKSAR government John Lee said more than 200 of the altogether 364 Hong Kong residents on board the quarantined ship have expressed willingness to return to Hong Kong by the free chartered flights.
Patients of 55 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection, their 33 close contacts, and those failing to pass the virus test, have to remain in Japan for treatment or further quarantine, Lee said.
Chinese passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship check in at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)
The HKSAR government announced earlier this week to arrange at least two chartered flights to bring back the Hong Kong residents on the ship. Two batches of HKSAR government officers have been sent to Japan to join the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo and the Chinese Embassy to Japan for the operation.
Lee said the HKSAR government is also prepared to arrange a third flight in a bid to take all Hong Kong residents tested negative for the new virus back home.
Sophia Chan, secretary for food and health of the HKSAR government, said the government will monitor the health condition of the people in quarantine every day including body temperatures and those presenting fever or other symptoms will be sent to hospital if necessary.
There will be medical staff around the clock to provide help if needed, Chan said.
Medical workers, together with passengers from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), arrive at the quarantine center by a specially-arranged bus in the New Territories in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Gang)
NATION-BACKED OPERATION
While the first group of Hong Kong residents started to get off the ship at about 9:00 p.m. Tokyo time Wednesday, 13 buses specially-arranged by the Chinese Embassy had been waiting nearby since Wednesday morning.
"Come on. Let's go home," said a banner hung at the front of the bus, and Chinese and Japanese national flags could be seen in the driver's cab. It took more than seven hours for stranded Hong Kong residents to leave the quarantined ship and get on the plane heading for home.
Chinese passengers disembarking from the Diamond Princess cruise ship are led by the staff to take a special bus to Haneda International Airport, at the port of Yokohama in Japan, Feb. 19, 2020. (Xinhua)
Director of Immigration of the HKSAR government Erick Tsang, who led an advance team of the HKSAR government officials to Japan on Monday to prepare for the operation, said that thanks to the assistance by the Chinese Embassy to Japan, the Hong Kong residents were taken to Tokyo's Haneda Airport by buses at a time when it was difficult to rent buses in Tokyo.
"The Japaneses side also accelerated the virus test thanks to the efforts of the foreign ministry and some other sides," Tsang said.
After the coronavirus-hit cruise ship was put in quarantine early in February, the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR immediately worked with the HKSAR government and the Chinese Embassy to Japan to provide support for the Chinese nationals including Hong Kong compatriots on board.
A specially-arranged bus, carrying passengers from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), arrives at the quarantine center in the New Territories in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Gang)
The Embassy got in contact with compatriots involved and asked the Japanese side to guarantee their rights and interests. As some ran out of prescription drugs for heart attack and diabetes, the Embassy also made emergency arrangements to deliver the drugs to them in time.
Fourteen elderly Chinese passengers, 12 from Hong Kong and two from Macao, sent a letter to the Embassy to express gratitude for the help and support they have received.
"Thank you for everything that you've done for us! Thanks to the great motherland," according to the letter. "We are proud to be Chinese because we have the support of our strong motherland when we meet difficulties abroad. Wish our great motherland prosperity!" ■
