Coronavirus: Irish tourists in Peru on way home

The Irish tourists who couldn't leave Peru due to the South American country being on lockdown are returning home, Táiniste Simon Coveney has said.

Mr Coveney said that the flight has left the capital city Lima as "work continues to get all remaining citizens home" amid Covid-19 pandemic.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs also revealed that people from over a dozen other EU countries are also returning home from Peru.

Rescue flight - Wheels-up in Lima for 100+ Irish & family, work continues to get all remaining citizens home. Great job @dfatirl . Thanks to everyone for their patience. Pleased to also help people from 13 other EU countries, incl. urgent priority repatriations. #IrishinPeru pic.twitter.com/XcxsG2Wper

— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 29, 2020

Irish guests were staying in a hotel in the country where a tourist, not from Ireland, tested positive for the virus.

The Irish people were initially unable to get out of the country as the government closed the border and had suspended flights.

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