Germany brings home around 120,000 citizens stranded abroad

The German government brought home around 120,000 citizens who had been stranded abroad because of the coronavirus pandemic, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday.

"We have chartered our own aircraft," for example from Lufthansa, he said. Also, the government supported private travel operators by organizing landing permits and over-flight rights.

The German government had now largely completed the transfer from the most important holiday destinations and was "now devoting special attention to countries even further away," said Maas.

According to the Federal Foreign Office, the government is focusing on a total of 15 countries and regions, such as Algeria, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ecuador, Gambia, India, Morocco, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines and Tunisia.

The German government had made up to 50 million euros (54 million U.S. dollars) available for organizing return trips for Germans who had no other options due to border closures amid the coronavirus pandemic.