Charter Brings Residents Home, Delivers Supplies

April 6, 2020

A British Airways charter plane brought 129 Bermuda residents back to the island today, along with medical supplies including testing kits and Personal Protection Equipment.

A spokesperson said, “In partnership with the UK Government, a British Airways Charter plane brought 129 Bermudian residents back to the island on Monday 6 April.

“In total the plane transported 291 UK Nationals back to their homes in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the UK.

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“The plane flew from London Heathrow to Bermuda, delivering medical supplies including testing kits and Personal Protection Equipment that will help the territory’s fight against coronavirus.

“The 129 Bermudian residents on the plane had been unable to make it home from the UK on earlier commercial flights, but will now be able to return to their families in Bermuda following the required 14 day quarantine period.

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Governor John Rankin said “I am pleased that we have been able to provide this assistance, helping Bermudians to get back home to their loved ones at this difficult time.

“I pay tribute to all those, including the Airport staff, Customs and Immigration, Medical staff, members of the Royal Bermuda Regiment, the Bermuda Police Service and the Fire & Rescue Service who assisted the arriving passengers and helped to make their arrival safe for all concerned.

“I also thank the Bermuda Government Office in London which played an important role in helping to ensure that the elderly, young people and vulnerable persons were given priority for the flight.

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“I am similarly glad that we have been able to deliver testing kits and Personal Protection Equipment to support the island’s medical services, building on the assistance already provided by Public Health England.”

“From Bermuda, the plane flew to the Cayman Islands. It delivered essential supplies and returned home 59 Cayman Islands residents.

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“The flight will also deliver a UK advisory team to Turks and Caicos Islands, to provide medical, operational and security expertise in support of the Territory’s Government in tackling coronavirus. Medical supplies to TCI have been sent separately through cargo channels and will arrive imminently.

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“On return, the flight will transport home 103 UK Nationals resident in the UK, who have been unable to depart from the Caribbean due to flight cancellations. The flight was part of the UK Government’s overall support for the Overseas Territories and the wider efforts to ensure the safety and security of UK Nationals worldwide.”

The Premier previously announced that whether travelers arrive from London or the United States, once they arrive in Bermuda they will be mandated to enter a Government quarantine facility for 14 days.

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Comments (15)

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  1. Vortex says:

    Ok, I’ll say it even if Kim Wilson and David Burt won’t.

    THANK YOU GOVERNOR RANKIN, THANK YOU BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

    There, wasn’t hard, was it?

    • Boston Whaler Owner says:

      how do you know they haven’t

      • aceboy says:

        Well if they haven’t it would be a tad rude don’t you think? Especially after the guffaw the Premier did a couple of weeks ago when a reporter asked about aid from the UK. Premier Burt laughed and announced that no help had been offered from the UK DESPITE repeated requests. Then with great pride he stated that Bermuda will not rely on anyone and announced a total of 850 testing kits had been sourced by the government and on their way. Remember that?

    • Ringmaster says:

      Agreed Vortex. There was more comment from the Governor than the Premier and Minister.

    • Dunn juice says:

      Wonder what all the supporters for independence think now. British govt is picking up quite a bit,as well as having the navy ship hanging around.

      • Build it says:

        Bie I got an old seagull engine and hull we can use for the Bermuda Navy ship and I got my own rope!

      • Ladeej says:

        Will there be a bill for the services rendered? It seems to me that the ultimate aim was to collect the UK Nationals stranded in the Caribbean.

    • Question says:

      Yes, thank you Britain. Nobody else came through for us.

    • Paul says:

      It’s an island-wide effort – the Governor (and by extension UK), Government, Civil Servants, essential workers and every Bermuda resident. Our focus needs to be on staying alive and staying safe. We have to also start planning to return to normal. If it’s anything like the recovery from the 2008 recession, recovery could take over a decade – but we will survive and prosper as we always have.

  2. cpm says:

    Given the benefits Bermudians enjoy in the UK it’s time to stop kicking the UK in the face
    Well done Governor and FCO

  3. George jones says:

    I may have missed it from the press conferences but what happened to the govt chartered plane from China with medical supplies?

  4. Sandgrownan says:

    What we all want to know is if there is any Waitrose product on that plane!!!

  5. Wander says:

    The Governor, the Premier and the Minister I’d Health worked together and if you actually paid any attention instead of making something poison, you would understand, it is not political. I believe the Premier is doing an excellent job.
    And if you think Bermudians are really having a great time in England, many are treated with outright racism. My son, a student, not there to live, was pushed off his bike as he rode to school and told…”Why don’t you go back to where you belong n***** American.” And he is a British subject.
    So do not pretend it is all rosy and act like British subjects are welcome in the UK. They aren’t, but they have every right to be there because Britain made the choice to colonise.

    • Scary mice says:

      I’m British, lived in both countries a long time.

      UK hasn’t got anywhere near the race issues that Bermuda has, so don’t start that one. We left all that nonsense behind in the 70s, something we have failed to do here.

      And also leave it out of this conversation buddy. Bigger things to worry about right now.

      • Wander says:

        Every single comment here is laden with race. From the assumption that the premier did not thank the governor to the comment about Bermudians and UK benefits. And racism is well and alive in England. Like I said my son experienced it three weeks ago and that wasn’t the 70s. It could be left out of every conversation if people stopped making nasty comments about Bermudians and then do not expect it to be considered racists…Every negative comment people are making about what the Premier is doing, seems shady to me. Because he is doing a great job. And if the other opposition was doing this, if in power, they would be doing a great job as well. Give him his credit. I’ve lived in England, the US, here and the Caribbean and Despite England leaving that nonsense behind in the 70s, the obviously forgot to tell the people.
        Yes, we have a lot to worry about now, and that is my point, none of the complainers here about the Premier are sitting in his seat. So give him credit and stop the oh ya Bermuda is now asking the UK crap. Guess what, whether we want to or not, because we are a colony….it is our right and privilege. So get over the fact that we would like to separate I suppose and accept the fact that as long as we can, we can solicit help and we still have to wait for then to say yay or nay…just like a parent does.