Over 500 Italians stranded in Kenya’s Coast to be evacuated back home

The Italian Government has began evacuating its citizens who were left stranded in the Kenyan Coastal region following the coronavirus diseases outbreak.

Eleven buses have been hired to pick Italian nationals who have been staying in Mombasa, Kwale, Taita Taveta and Lamu counties and ferry them to the Moi International Airport.

The first batch comprising about 250 Italian nationals arrived at the Moi International Airport on Sunday morning to board a chartered flight to take them home.

Freddy del Curatolo, the leader of the Italian community in Malindi, said they were left stranded at the Coast after international flights were grounded following the coronavirus outbreak in Kenya.

Chairperson of the hotel stakeholders in Watamu and Malindi, Philemon Mwavala said the repatriation of the Italians will deal a further blow to the already hard hit tourism sector.