Repatriation flights for New Zealanders in Vanuatu

The New Zealand government is working on a way to get 79 New Zealanders from Vanuatu that was hit by Tropical Cyclone Harold.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says inbound flights had stopped as a result of Covid-19 measures.

But he said the government was working with the Australians and the French to see whether a commercial or military flight could be used to get foreigners out of the Pacific nation, citizens home and deliver any aid needed.

"These are early days because the airports are closed.

"We may be sending a commercial flight, a military flight, we're not certain of that but we are this close to the event trying to organise with the Vanuatuan government what can be done first of all on the ground and then by way of repatriation."

At this point there were no known Covid-19 cases in Vanuatu but New Zealand would have to act carefully and observe all the precautions as if there were cases there.

> RNZ