Following signs that a Russian invasion of Ukraine remained a distinct possibility and President Joe Biden’s televised call for caution between Russia and Ukraine, an Air Arabia plane carrying 99 Moroccan students from Ukraine landed on Tuesday morning at Tangier’s Ibn Battouta International Airport.
Air Arabia plane secured this direct flight, which took off at 5:10 a.m. (local time) from Kiev-Boryspil airport, and landed at 9:15 a.m. at Tangier airport.
The airline announced on its Twitter account on Monday that it will provide a repatriation flight for Moroccans living in Ukraine from Kiev on Tuesday, noting that it will schedule other flights in the coming days.
The passengers took COVID-19 tests at Tangier Ibn Battouta airport, in accordance with the health protocol in force.
Several students said that the procedures put in place at the airports of departure (Kiev-Boryspil) and arrival (Tangier Ibn Battouta) took place smoothly, noting that flight conditions were “good”.
On Saturday last week, the Moroccan embassy in Kyiv issued a communique urging citizens in Ukraine to return to Morocco amid reports of an imminent conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.
After the announcement, Air Arabia and Royal Air Maroc announced special repatriation flights.
Royal Air Maroc will also repatriate Moroccans from Ukraine through two flights.
They said that several students preferred to return to Morocco and continue their studies remotely, due to the tense atmosphere in Ukraine, which was “a source of concern for the families of Moroccan students in Ukraine”.