France scrambles to repatriate citizens as Morocco stops flights over coronavirus

French authorities were on Saturday trying to arrange emergency flights from Morocco to bring back dozens of French nationals who found themselves unable to leave after the country suspended flights to European countries over coronavirus fears. Morocco, which so far has 17 cases of the virus, has suspended all soccer matches, closed schools, halted flights with nine countries and canceled gatherings of more than 50 people.

French television stations and social media showed hundreds of people at Marrakesh airport with no flights available and nowhere to go. "To our compatriots stranded in Morocco: new flights are being organised to allow you to return to France. I am asking the Moroccan authorities to ensure that everything necessary is done as soon as possible," President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter.

Videos recorded on Saturday at Marrakesh airport showed dozens of stranded passengers, some chanting "Macron, a plane!" France's ambassador to Morocco, Helene Le Gal, said on Twitter that the embassy had received some 5,000 calls in the last 24 hours.

The French embassy in Rabat declined to comment, but Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he had spoken to his counterpart and hoped that flights would be arranged soon.