Baltic States plan joint repatriation flight out of UK

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will run a joint repatriation service for their citizens to leave Britain on Dec. 28, the Lithuanian foreign affairs minister said on Wednesday, after suspending flights due to the new coronavirus variant. The three Baltic states were among dozens of countries to suspend flights from Britain or shut their borders due to concern over the more transmissible variant that has sent cases soaring in the United Kingdom.

The three countries will divide the 150 places on the flight equally between their citizens, giving priority to those with health emergencies or urgent family reasons such as funerals, the minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, told reporters in Vilnius. "It's a humanitarian mission," the minister said.

The passengers will be required to purchase tickets and provide negative coronavirus tests from the previous 48 hours, or face a 10 days self-isolation after returning, he said.

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