Pompeo hails 'remarkable' State Department repatriation efforts

In remarks at the State Department, the top US diplomat hailed the effort, which comes as the coronavirus pandemic has grounded commercial flights and shuttered borders.

"Nearly every day, incredible stories of our teams' speed and tenacity getting our people home hit my desk," Pompeo said. "These stories could be pulled from a Hollywood script. They're remarkable."

According to data from the State Department posted Monday afternoon, 374 flights from more than 75 countries had been completed since the end of January.

The State Department faced criticism for its initial response as those mounting global restrictions left tens of thousands of travelers stranded abroad. At the time, many of them told CNN of receiving little to no information from the US government or embassies about how they might get back to the US.

On Tuesday, however, Pompeo spoke of the "many" notes of gratitude the department had received for its repatriation work.

"Our teams are printing emergency passports to get these folks back. We call hotels to find spaces for US citizens to sleep to make sure they're near the airport for the moment that the plane will arrive. And we make arrangements for flight crews and we provide Americans with letters for safe passage," Pompeo described. "The list goes on and on. It's truly a great piece of work by the United States government on behalf of the American people."

In one instance, the State Department arranged a medical evacuation flight to repatriate seven Americans who were under quarantine at a hostel in Cusco, Peru, according to several of those travelers. One of the travelers, Richard Perks, told CNN they had been in communication with the US Embassy, and the medical evacuation flight was first mentioned last Wednesday and seemed to come fully together last Thursday. The following morning, they were dressed in "medical gowns, gloves, and faceshields," loaded into a medical transport van and driven directly onto the tarmac.

"It felt like something out of a movie," Perks said. "As soon as we started taking off, we cheered. We haven't smiled that much in weeks."

The State Department is still tracking approximately 25,000 Americans who may need assistance returning home, according to Ian Brownlee, the head of the department's repatriation task force.

Brownlee has warned that the repatriation flights would not continue indefinitely, and on Tuesday, he again urged US travelers who are considering returning home to do so immediately or risk getting stuck.

"It's very simple. Get off the fence," Brownlee said at the State Department. "People need to decide, am I going to remain where I am for an indefinite period of time, or do I want to go back to the United States?"