Tuan Anh will never forget his feeling when he was selected as one of the crew members to serve the flight to bring Vietnamese citizens from Wuhan back to their country.
“It is not easy for anyone to perform their duties at the epicenter, and I am no exception. However, all of the crew members thought that we had to be responsible in getting the job done for the sake of our fellow countrymen,” he recalled.
After talking with his family about the upcoming trip to Wuhan, Tuan Anh and his crew members proactively got themselves prepared by reading more about coronavirus, how to prevent the infection, and the current situation via official websites of health organizations. The knowledge he had gained before flying to the epicenter somewhat eased his worries.
“We felt more assured when receiving the attention of the leaders of our agency, VNA, and competent authorities; specific instructions from health authorities; and guidelines on protective measures against infection adopted on the flight. I also informed, reassured, and prepared my family for the quarantine time as prescribed,” he said with a smile.
On the afternoon of the 8th of February, after finishing the briefing, Tuan Anh and his crew members were given protective gear, including face masks, latex gloves, protective clothing, and… adult diapers for a seven-hour journey in which they could not go to the restroom to limit the spread of coronavirus.
“Technically, the flight was absolutely safe. We carried out the mission with tremendous effort and the highest sense of responsibility. Despite my being mentally prepared, the flight still ignited in me special feelings,” he said.
At 5:04 am on the 10th of February, 2020, Flight VN68 which carried Vietnamese citizens back to their country from Wuhan – the epicenter in China – successfully landed at Van Don International Airport. The immediate difficulty has passed, and the Vietnamese citizens caught in the epicenter have returned to their country safely. Despite the restricted communication due to the face masks, passengers’ happiness could still be felt as they finally returned to their motherland on the flight operated by the national flag carrier. Tuan Anh understood that he and his colleagues had had a particularly successful flight.
Since the flight landed, all crew members have been under quarantine and regular health monitoring as per the guidance of the Ministry of Health. “Having spent 15 years with VNA providing maintenance services for flights thousands of times, I have never had such a long ‘vacation.’”
In addition, Tuan Anh did not forget to send his congratulations to his colleagues and all the passengers who successfully overcame these difficulties together. “During the course of my work, I have been on many flights such as the ones using government jets or the flights carrying the Vietnamese football team, but that was the first time I participated in such a special flight. From the destination – an ‘isolated’ place – to the equipment worn by both the flight crew members and passengers, and the procedures to prevent the infection, everything was special. Above all, this was probably viewed as a flight delivering hope and love to our fellow countrymen. I was honored to be a part of that.” Tuan Anh shared.
Nguyen Mai Huong-COMM
