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LAST UPDATE | 21 Mar 2020
EFFORTS TO FLY Irish and UK citizens out of Peru have been complicated after the Peruvian government announced that all airports would close from midnight tonight.
In an interview with the Peruvian television channel ‘Canal N’, Defence Minister Walter Martos said that from tonight, Peru’s borders would close completely.
Up until now, the Peruvian authorities had been assisting with repatriation efforts from various countries.
Tánaiste Simon Coveney has said that they are “aware of announcement of Peruvian authorities in relation to international commercial travel”.
Please be assured that we are working with partners to find the best solutions to get our Irish citizens home. Stay calm and patient and we’ll update people when we can.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged that the uncertainty is “hugely frustrating” for those who are stranded, but that it is working with the UK and other European countries to find a solution.
There are around 35 Irish citizens in Cusco, and an estimated 100 others in the rest of the country.
This evening, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has said that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had secured permission for a UK-organised flight to leave Peru for “early next week” following a call with his Peruvian counterpart.
In a Twitter post, Raab said: “I had a good conversation this afternoon with my opposite number in Peru, Gustavo Meza-Cuadra.
“Amidst all the challenges of tackling Coronavirus, we committed to working together in the coming days to enable UK nationals in Peru and Peruvian nationals in the UK to return home.”
The FCO said it would continue to work with the Peruvian government to arrange further flights in coming days.
“We are working round the clock to make flights available next week for British people who wish to leave Peru but who are currently unable to do so on commercial flights because of the travel restrictions that have been imposed,” an FCO spokesperson said.
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said that the “Embassy in Santiago is currently assisting a significant number of Irish citizens in Peru”.
“These people are based in different locations around the country which makes repatriation efforts even more challenging,” the spokesperson said.
“Please be assured that we are working with our EU and UK partners to find the best solutions to get our Irish citizens home. We ask all of those affected to stay calm and patient and we will update people as soon as we can.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs has been keeping in touch with Irish citizens stranded there to advise them on the best course of action. It has also been liaising with the UK government about arranging a flight to repatriate British and Irish citizens to London.
Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra announced a state of emergency and a 15-day military lockdown to be imposed on Monday – with all land, sea and air borders to close.
There are currently 263 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Peru, compared with 683 in Ireland, which hasn’t imposed the same strict measures in response to the pandemic.
So for tourists who had been travelling in the country, the announcement wasn’t expected, and didn’t give them enough time to leave the country before the lockdown came into force.
A nighttime curfew has since been put in place from 8pm-5am, and Irish people have reported that the measures being imposed are becoming more extreme.
The solution that had been offered by the Irish government was a flight by Colombian carrier Avianca Airline that was scheduled to depart this weekend. Tickets would cost between €2,700-€3,200 per person, and people were asked to fill out a form to express interest, but many said that the price being offered was out of reach for many.
Testimonies
Andrew Cotter, who is stranded in Peru with his girlfriend Marie Barry, said that ”most people will not be able to afford that flight if it goes ahead.”
Catherine, who is stranded in Cusco and who previously spoke to TheJournal.ie about this issue said that the Department of Foreign Affairs had been working hard to resolve the issue.
Ireland’s Chilean Embassy has also been working to help Irish citizens stranded in Peru.
James and Ciara McNicholl, who had been on a tour of South America since January for their honeymoon, highlighted that the “biggest issue was people weren’t given a chance to just buy flights and get out”.
“If we had been given that chance you wouldn’t have this huge amount of people isolated here and stuck here”.
The latest information
The Department of Foreign Affairs has sent an email to Irish citizens in Peru to inform them that they have yet to receive confirmation that the €3,000-ticket flight will go ahead, and that it may be next week before it departs.
Citizens that had previously booked with Air France, KLM, Iberia or other airlines are being advised to get in contact with them and attempt to rebook their flight with them; Air France has scheduled a full flight leaving Lima tomorrow.
German and French citizens are reported to have purchased tickets on flights for €700-€800 – a fraction of what Avianca is offering.
A flight organised by the Portuguese government to fly from Lima to Lisbon will also be accommodating citizens from different EU countries, and the Department of Foreign Affairs is working to get seats for some Irish passengers on this flight.
There are hundreds of other tourists from around the world stranded in Peru, including 400 people from the UK.
The Guardian reports that Caia Daly, who is originally from Dublin but lives in north London, is stranded in Lima with her husband and their two young children – one of whom is a baby recovering from pneumonia.
With reporting from Press Association and Dominic McGrath
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Well they should have moved earlier everyone knew what lay ahead
@John O Donoghue: “a baby recovering from pneumonia”, would I’m sure impact any travel arrangements they were trying to make, have a heart, everyone was late to this covid party, some people are still only arriving!..
@Kate Flaherty: the baby would’ve had a better chance at coming back earlier than now if they decided to take the right decision a couple of weeks ago. Now I doubt they’d be able make it home with how fast everything is escalating.
@Dalya Al-Tulaihi: The baby is recovering” we have no idea of the timeline, I’m sure they followed medical advice with regard travel etc..
@Kate Flaherty: well either way, I hope they get home safe and the baby is unaffected
@John O Donoghue: you’re in fowl form today and well done for knowing every ones circumstances. Good man.
@Dalya Al-Tulaihi: That we can agree on!…
@Kate Flaherty: would the govt jet be as cheap I wonder?
@John O Donoghue: Fishin for likes…. Go away yea clown!!!
@Dalya Al-Tulaihi: nonsense, nobody knew how the severe and fast the impact was going to be for EU and then the rest of the world. Everythings always cleared in hindsight
@John Egan: maybe you didn’t know, everyone with half a brain cell would’ve figured out it’ll be bad.
@John Egan: hindsight,
You could see this coming months ago
@Dalya Al-Tulaihi: we didn’t all go to college
@Paddy Dunne: share your knowledge of 2 months into the future with the rest of us then because I’m sure the WHO gladly accept your forcast
@Paddy Dunne: so you have been self isolating since January? I hope you use this crystal ball of yours to help others going forward
@John O Donoghue: you could do with a holiday
@John O Donoghue: stop
@Paddy Dunne: give us next weeks lotto numbers
Everyone’s a COVID expert now all of a sudden!
@Lochlainn Marcus: the known and unknowns of this virus are pretty clear. Doesn’t take anything particularly special to understand what the science already knows about this virus.
there is 2 Irish Airline Carriers with all their planes sitting on the deck, why cant one of these idle planes be hired, flown to peru to collect our citizens and return directly to Ireland where the plane can be sanitised and quarantined and the returning people can be quarantined for 14 days here, instead of flying them at ridiculous prices to a covid ridden London, then on to Dublin, then on to Irish Public Transport systems to get home?
@Alan K: what part of all Peruvian airports will close didn’t you understand?
massive cities in China in lockdown and in Europe. you think the virus wasn’t on every paper and TV channel in Peru? people had more than enough time to get home. they need to stay out of Ireland until the EU border reopens however long that may be.
@Alan K: because Peru won’t let them in!!!
@Quiggers: most posters here dont Google before they post. Or even read the articles.
@Alan K: Not 2 airline’s, only Aer Lingus have jets capable of flying to Peru, Ryanair only use 737 aircraft, which cant do the distance to Peru.
@Paul Furey: a lot of posters need a kick in the whole. this is just beginning. just wondering how many deaths per day it will take before it dawns on the plebs. the annual road traffic deaths on a daily basis maybe?
@Quiggers: nearly 800 alone in Italy today. Staggering and won’t hit home until it becomes personal
Well they should have moved earlier everyone knew what lay ahead
@John O Donoghue: agreed. I moved guests out of Dublin accommodation to my home in Wexford (putting my own life at risk) where they could walk and appreciate the country side. Thankfully now gone home to Canada. They should not of come here in the first place. The fecker is some Irish are travelling to Tennerife tomorrow for their discounted holiday. They deserve to be stuck there.
@Paul Somers: idiots
@Paddy Dunne: in this situation nobody knows where it end and how far it will go better off at home instead of been steamed and then expect the government to help them home
@Paul Somers: I don’t believe that
@Paul Somers: they deserve a spell in mountjoy.
@Paul Somers: will head out and pick up a medal for you
@Patrick Agnew: fact
@Paul Somers: Moving people from Dublin to Wexford is putting more than your life at risk. Stop spreading it around Paul.
@Paul Somers: Really? Anyone travelling out now can suffer the consequences when/if they return home
Please be mindful of the staff at Lisbon airport . We’re facilitating repatriations from other countries and the airport is packed . Keep your safety distances and wear a mask if possible . Protect yourself and the staff . Be kind .
Send the government jet, we own it don’t we
@Nan: The Learjet 45 has a range of 3k kilometers, Peru is 6k kilometers away. Even crossing the Atlantic would be awkward, it’d have to go to Newfoundland first and then stop again in order to make the long trip South. Not to mention complications about international flights landing for refuel (if this wasn’t an issue they could fly home themselves).
@Nan: The government jet would not be suitable. Have you seen the size of it?
@Nan: except it won’t be allowed to land. Bit of a problem there!
@Nan: hard luck Nan! Google before you post.
Sh;t hit the fan long before this deadline that was set. They should have used some cop and moved earlier instead of finding themselves in the situation they’re in now.
@Billy Davies: the would have but the cost of flights was beyond them. I know if it was me and family, I simply don’t have €12,000 to fly is home.
So many degenerates in this comment section(as per usual on the journal). We got 24hrs notice to leave, when all flights were already booked out. In a country with next to 0 cases compared to Europe.
@Sean Martin: completely agree Sean but sure everyone is an expert and don’t understand what is happening over here. I hope you get home safely soon too.
@Sean Martin: Best of luck sean hope you manage to work something out. So thoughtless of that govt to suddenly close airports and not let travelers already there make arrangememts. Its never that simple
@Anna69ii: Hi Anna. It wont accept my credit card. I’ve tried 3 different cards.
rightly so…
And what is that third paragraph?
Folks I know there is a lot of people that spend half their lives talking rubbish on social media for a bit of craic. I don’t understand it personally but please everyone just realise the gov has to order complete lockdown immediately. I drove down O’Connell street today (for urgent message) after 8 days in house with kids as per government recommendations. The footfall was nearly back to normal and it was like zombie land. Even worse than normal and the inner city is horrific for crime..it seems the gov message isn’t getting through to the locals. If Leo and his cronies have any respect for the health workers who are putting their lives at risk n not seeing kids/ families he should order lockdown immediately for period of two weeks at least as has been done in Spain France Italy etc etc
Send the Navy over for them
No effort or expense should be spared by the state to rescue these poor people from their holiday.
And what is that third paragraph?
The UK say that without complete obedience thay will be the next Italy. Due to the procrastination and arogance and failures of their leaders they will be the next Italy regardless of their populations obediance. In 4 weeks time they will be reporting 800 to 1000 deaths. Its very sad and tagic but the horse has bolted. All we can do is pray for the poor unfortunate people who get ill. I believe Ireland has a chance to beat this but we need a full lockdown to do it. We have a partial lockdown which is sub optimal.
Doesn’t matter where they are. Bigger risk if u go to airports. Just stay indoors for the next 15 days. Why the panic to get home? Coronavirus here too.
Go away with that now joe
@Poppa Noob: The Peru 135!! It took a few years for that other pair to get back. I don’t fancy this lots chances of getting home anytime soon.
Could think of worse places to be stuck, with all that snow n that
Colombian borders are now closed as well. There might be some people stuck here too.
Clearly the government should fund the full cost of getting these people home. This is an emergency situation. South Africa spent r35 million to fly its citizens home from China. Germany sent four planes to bring home its citizens stranded in Cape Town. This emergency situation demands an emergency response.
have your say