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Aircraft to rescue Brazilians in China take off

Crew members and passengers will be quarantined
Pedro Peduzzi
Published on 05/02/2020 - 15:14
Brasília
O Ministro da Defesa, Fernando Azevedo e Silva, e o Comandante da Aeronáutica, Tenente Bridadeiro do Ar Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez, acompanham a preparação dos aviões da Força Aérea Brasileira que decolam de Brasília para buscar brasileiros
© Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil
 Aviões da Força Aérea Brasileira decolam de Brasília para buscar brasileiros que estão em Wuhan, na China
© Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil

The two Brazilian Air Force planes designated to bring 34 Brazilian nationals and their family members back to Brazil are on their way to Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. Each aircraft left Brazil with 18 crew members, among whom seven doctors.

“The people getting on board in China are healthy and show no signs of the disease. Upon their return to Brazil, exams will be conducted in order to identify any problems,” said Brigadier Damasceno, in charge of the mission.

The airplanes will make connections in Fortaleza (still in Brazil), Las Palmas (Spain), Warsaw (Poland), and Ürümqi (China). The aircraft will go through the same cities on their return trip.

The round trip is expected to last 62 hours, 47 hours of which in flight. The arrival is estimated to take place on Friday evening (Feb. 6), and their return in Brazil on Saturday (9).

All of the people rescued will undergo an 18-day quarantine in the city of Anápolis, Goiás state, along with crew members of both airplanes.