Thousands of European tourists are stranded in Nepal, Sri Lanka and other locations across Asia. Germany has arranged emergency flights to bring citizens home as countries close their borders due to the pandemic.

Germany and other foreign governments have stepped up their efforts to repatriate thousands of holiday-makers who are currently stuck in remote locations across Asia due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday, a Qatar Airways flight chartered by the German government evacuated more than 300 people from Nepal, the majority of whom were German nationals.

Berlin plans to fly out another set of tourists from Nepal on Saturday, news agency AFP reported. The Australian Embassy in Nepal also said it was trying to arrange a special flight.

Everest trekkers awaiting flights

Nepal, which has restricted all international flights coming into the country until April 1, is currently in talks with several countries to evacuate an estimated 10,000 tourists.

“We don’t have information about a flight back to Belgium yet,” Elka Wallraf, a teacher stranded in the village of Phakding near Mount Everest, told AFP.

Tenzing–Hillary Airport, the only airport connecting tourists to the Mount Everest region, currently has more than 200 trekkers stuck at the airport, Dhurba Shrestha, an airport official, told The Associated Press.

Some tourists in Nepal are being given temporary reprieve by hotels, which are giving free lodging and meals.