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FM watches situation with RF tourists stranded in Italy

Hotline had been established to contact the Wind Jet Company

MOSCOW, August 13 (Itar-Tass) — Russia’s Foreign Ministry watches the situation in Italy with Russian tourists stranded in Sicily after the Wind Jet airline has gone bankrupt, the Foreign Ministry reported on Monday.

At the same time, the ministry said it did not rule out new difficulties.

“The Russian Embassy in Rome insists the Italian authorities should fulfil obligations before Russian passengers. However, one cannot rule out that within two weeks Russian tourists, who are currently on the territory of Italy and having Wind Jet return tickets, can face new difficulties,” the ministry said.

The ministry recalled that on August 12, from 2 a.m. Moscow time all flights of Wind Jet airlines had been suspended due to the fact that the Italian Civil Aviation Authority withdrew the license. The Russian Embassy in Rome informed the corresponding Russian agencies and organisations about such situation in advance.

“The Russian Foreign Ministry and other Russian agencies in Italy watch the situation with Russian passengers of Wind Jet Company that carries out air service between Italy and Russian cities – Moscow, St Petersburg and Samara. We make our necessary contribution,” the ministry said.

Operative groups have been created in the Russian Embassy in Rome, in the Russian consulates general in Palermo and Milan. Phones for information: +393665604614, +39064941680, +39064941681, +39064941649 in Rome; +390916114899, +393880732880 in Palermo; and +390248750099 in Milan.

The Russian consulate general in Palermo decided to accommodate and transport 113 Russian citizens, who failed to return home from Catania on August 12, to St Petersburg by the Rossiya state airline on August 13 and August 14. The Russian consulate general in Milan contributed to Russian tourists to returning to Russia from Bergamo via third countries.

The Italian Civil Aviation Authority informed the Russian Embassy in Rome that a hotline, +390644596475, had been established to contact the Wind Jet Company. For compensations passengers should send letters Wind Jet S.p.A Via Giuseppe della Rena, 92, 95100 Catania, Italy.

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