Australia bids for second flight from Wuhan as first batch of evacuees move to Christmas Island

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Tuesday that Australia is considering holding a second evacuation flight from Wuhan City, China amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus since its first flight already landed on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.

A total of 241 Australian evacuees safely landed on Christmas Island as the first batch of evacuation flight from Wuhan. These evacuees will be quarantined for 14 days on the remote Australia-run Island.

“All Australians who were on our flight out of Wuhan have arrived safely. We are now working with the Chinese authorities on a possible second assisted departure flight for Australians seeking to leave Wuhan,” Morrison said via Twitter.

Morrison added that Australia was working with New Zealand to offer them seats on the plane for the departure flight organized by its trans-Tasman neighbor.

On Tuesday, an evacuation flight chartered by Air New Zealand Ltd will be leaving Wuhan carrying 70 New Zealanders and some Australians on board and was expected to land in Auckland by Wednesday, according to the airline.