Niue government humanitarian flight repatriates 8 Fiji citizens

Talofa Airways from Samoa landed at Hanan International airport this morning at 8.30am on what was described by the Government as a humanitarian repatriation flight bound for Fiji.

The Niue government chartered an aircraft of Talofa Airways which operates Twin Commander 690B model and can seat up to 9 passengers.

The chartered flight left at 9.30am this morning with 8 passengers including one child bound for Nadi. The passengers are expected to be quarantined on arrival into Fiji.

The Fijian Community in Niue has grown in recent years and is now one of the largest ethnic minority communities on the island. Many of whom were at the airport to farewell their friends with the emotional singing of the traditional Fijian farewell song Isa Lei.

Former BCN newsreader and reporter Sofaia Koroitanoa was also on the flight returning to her home in Suva after working for BCN for the past 2 years.

USP lecturer Dr Sunia Vosikata finally get to return to his family and to his work after being stuck in Niue for the past six months. Dr Vosikata came to Niue in March this year to teach the first cohort of MBA students at the USP Niue campus.

The flight was announced by a government press statement last Thursday as a humanitarian repatriation. One of the passengers need urgent medical testing that is not available on island.

This is the first repatriation flight out of Niue since the COVID-19 pandemic started earlier this year.