The crew of a Mi-26T helicopter, consisting of seven Russian citizens and two Belarusian citizens, will leave Tunisia in the near future, the press service of the Russian Embassy in Tunisia reported.
It was previously reported that the crew had been detained at Djerba airport in Tunisia.
“On December 20, the Russian Embassy in Tunisia received an official letter from the Kyrgyz company that owns the aircraft, requesting assistance in resolving the situation faced by the Mi-26T helicopter crew, consisting of seven Russian citizens and two Belarusian citizens,” the embassy’s press service said.
According to the document, from December 19 to the present time, the Russians and Belarusians have been forced to remain in the transit zone of the airport on the Tunisian island of Djerba, where the helicopter made a scheduled technical landing.
The Russian Embassy sent a diplomatic note to Tunisia’s Foreign Ministry to clarify and resolve the legal status of the crew members. Staff of the embassy’s consular section are in constant contact with the aircraft commander to respond promptly to any developments, the press service said.
“As explained by the local foreign ministry, the Tunisian authorities did not obstruct the helicopter’s onward flight. The problem was the absence of a permit for the aircraft to fly to the next point on its route, which has not yet been obtained,” the statement said.
As a result, an agreement has been reached with the Tunisian authorities that the crew will leave the country in the near future, the Russian Embassy assured.