3rd chartered flight arranged

February 22, 2020

Secretary for Security John Lee: We have arranged a third chartered flight to take the Hong Kong people who are now still onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship who are not close contacts. The chartered flight will depart Japan at 1.45am tomorrow morning. Our intention is to take back any Hong Kong people who are allowed to leave the ship and also leave Japan if they are not close contacts so that they can all be taken back to Hong Kong. The information so far indicates that there will likely be around 100 people still in Japan. Onboard the ship there are 32 close contacts, and there are several tens of people who are not close contacts and will be allowed to disembark the ship. Our agreement with the authorities in Japan is to arrange all those who are willing to take our chartered flight to be carried by our buses to go to the airport so that they can take the chartered flight. We are appealing to all Hong Kong residents who are still in Japan to take our chartered flight. We do not expect that this chartered flight will take back as many passengers as the first and second chartered flights, but it is our aim to take back any (Hong Kong people) who is allowed to leave and who is not a close contact. So that is why despite the possibility of this third chartered flight not taking back a large number of people, we will not give up any chance to take back the Hong Kong people who are not close contacts and who can leave Japan.

(To watch the video with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Secretary for Security John Lee today announced the third chartered flight will bring back Hong Kong residents from the Diamond Princess cruise ship who are not close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Speaking to reporters in the afternoon, Mr Lee said the government-arranged flight will depart Japan at 1.45am on February 23.

He said: “Our intention is to take back any Hong Kong people who are allowed to leave the ship and also leave Japan if they are not close contacts so that they can all be taken back to Hong Kong.

“The information so far indicates that there will likely be around 100 people still in Japan. Onboard the ship there are 32 close contacts, and there are several tens of people who are not close contacts and will be allowed to disembark the ship.

“We are appealing to all Hong Kong residents who are still in Japan to take our chartered flight.”

Mr Lee added that he does not expect this chartered flight to take back as many people as the first and second flights.

“Despite the possibility of this third chartered flight not taking back a large number of people, we will not give up any chance to take back the Hong Kong people who are not close contacts and who can leave Japan.”