2nd chartered flight arrives from the Middle East

A second flight chartered by Japan's government to evacuate Japanese travelers and others from the Middle East has landed near Tokyo.

The plane carried 281 people from Saudi Arabia. It arrived at Narita Airport on Tuesday.

The government is helping Japanese nationals leave Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as the conflict continues to rage in the region.

Some passengers appeared exhausted when they arrived at Narita airport.

A woman in her 20s said she was on her way to Austria when she became stranded during a stopover in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

She said she initially did not know when she would be able to return to Japan. The woman added that she heard booming sounds every day at her hotel. She noted that the sounds made her very nervous.

The woman said it took a long time to reach Riyadh in order to board the flight. She said she is relieved to be back home.

A woman who lived with her family in Riyadh said she was afraid that her child's school would be damaged, as it is close to the US Embassy.

She said her husband had to stay behind for professional reasons, and that she is praying for his safety.

A total of 388 people were flown out on two chartered flights. The first one arrived from Oman on Sunday.

The government plans to charter one additional flight each from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to help everyone who wants to leave.

nhk