A military aircraft dispatched to bring back all service members aboard the destroyer Munmu the Great off the waters of Africa has arrived. 

A South Korean official said that one of two aerial tanker transports arrived at a nearby country around 1:40 p.m. Monday with the other expected to land soon.

If landing and takeoff procedures go smoothly, the crew will board the two aircraft later Monday to arrive at Seoul Air Base late Tuesday, Korea time, where they will be tested again, then transferred to quarantine or treatment facilities.

The KC-330 Cygnus multi-role aerial tankers left South Korea on Sunday to bring home all 301 members of the anti-piracy Cheonghae unit following a mass COVID-19 outbreak, with infections totaling 247.  

The Defense Ministry said about 200 fully vaccinated people, including 148 replacement troops and 13 medical personnel, are on board the tankers. After the destroyer is disinfected, the replacement troops will take over and return the destroyer to South Korea.