Tens of thousands of Brits stranded abroad will be repatriated from THIS WEEK, Dominic Raab announces

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TENS of thousands of Brits stranded abroad will be rescued on repatriation flights from this week, Dominic Raab said tonight.

The Foreign Secretary told the nation that British Airways, Easyjet, Jet2 and Virgin will be sent to areas where commercial flights have all been cancelled.

Dominic Raab is expected to reveal more information about how to get Brits home who are stranded abroad

Boris Johnson is not giving the daily press conference to the nation while he remains sick with coronavirus – but is still working from No10.

A huge £75million Government fund has been put forward to get everyone home who needs to come back to Britain.

Mr Raab said today: “I can today announce a new arrangement from Government and airlines to fly home tens of thousands  of peoplewhere commercial flights are no longer possible.

“The arrangements agreed today will provide a clearer basis to organise special charter flights where Britons find themselves stranded.

“Our priority will always be the most vulnerable.”

Already 150,000 have come back from Spain, 8,500 people have come back from Morroco, and 5,000 from Cyprus – showing the huge scale of the problem.

The Foreign Office is working around the clock to try and keep airports and ports open, he said.

“We have not faced an international challenge quite like this before, but we are going to rise to it,” he added.

Brits have so far had to fork out huge sums for flights to get back from holidays and gap years.

And many more say they have been kept in the dark as to how to get home.

Many have seen flights cancelled at least minutes.

The Government has urged everyone who could to get home back to the UK as soon as possible – as more and more flights get cancelled.

A source said: “Everything is being done to arrange flights to get people back from abroad, particularly the vulnerable.

“But the advice is very clear – if there are commercial options to get home then take them now. Don’t sit around hoping there will be a rescue flight coming for you. Get home while you still can.”

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: “The Government is seeking to keep key transit routes open as long as possible and is in touch with international partners and the airline industry to make this happen.

“Consular staff are supporting those with urgent need while providing travel advice and support to those still abroad.