A second plane full of Australians who were stranded in Vanuatu after a deadly 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit the Pacific island nation is returning home.
Dozens of passengers landed at Brisbane International Airport on Thursday night after a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) emergency flight was sent to the region to bring more tourists home.
Families with young children and teenagers were among those left stranded on the island nation, anxiously awaiting their way home.
The plane left Port Vila and arrived in the Queensland capital a day after 148 fellow Australians returned home.
Photos showed travelers disembarking from the plane, happy to finally be home.
They headed inside the airport terminal where they were greeted by their loved ones and the waiting media.
Gold Coast mother Chantel Bastock thanked federal government to organize the last minute flight.
“We’re home… we’re safe, thanks to the Australian Defense Force, we love you,” he said.
Chantel Bastock (pictured with her son Darcy) was among those happy to be back home.
Dozens of passengers (pictured) landed at Brisbane International Airport on Thursday night after an emergency RAAF flight was sent to the region.
Young families were among the Australian tourists who were relieved to be home on Thursday night.
Travelers entered the airport terminal where they were greeted by loved ones and waiting media.
Some travelers were seen thanking the plane crew members by shaking their hands.
The earthquake, which struck at 12:47 on Tuesday, shook an area 30 kilometers west of Port Vila, causing several buildings to collapse in the bustling tourist hotspot.
At least 14 people have died and 116,000 civilians are believed to have been affected by the natural disaster. Authorities expect the death toll to rise.
To date no Australians have been confirmed dead in the earthquake.
The Red Cross reports that at least 200 people have been injured in the disaster.
Images from the scene showed a trail of destruction with several buildings knocked down by the impact of the earthquake.
Several cars were crushed by the weight of the collapsed structures.
Locals reported on social media that they felt violent tremors for about 30 seconds.
Communications were also affected at the time, affecting several government agencies as they attempted to assess the extent of the damage.
An Australian traveler who arrived home on Thursday night recalled the terrifying moment when chaos ensued after the earthquake.
“(I saw) buildings fall around me and people (started) screaming and running and I had no idea what to do,” he said.
Passengers were seen walking past the defense aircraft on the tarmac (pictured) before entering the airport terminal.
Some passengers were seen thanking crew members (pictured) from the plane by shaking their hands.
The runway at Vanuatu International Airport has been cleared, but remains closed to commercial traffic for 72 hours to give priority to relief and medical evacuation flights.
The federal government has deployed 64 members of the Disaster Assistance Response Team to assist with search and rescue operations and provide essential health services.
Members of other government agencies have also been deployed, including the Australian Medical Assistance Team, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the National Emergency Management Agency.
A rescue and aid package worth $2 million will also be delivered.
A second planeload of stranded Australians landed in Brisbane on Thursday night.
Images from the scene showed a trail of destruction with several buildings knocked down (pictured) by the impact of the earthquake.
Vanuatu’s interim Prime Minister Charlot Salwai has declared a state of emergency and a seven-day curfew has been imposed in the worst affected areas.
DFAT is providing consular assistance to Australians in the disaster-affected region.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the government will continue to provide further assistance to Vanuatu.
“We send our deepest condolences for this terrible tragedy,” Minister Wong said in a statement.
‘My message to the people of Vanuatu is that Australia is here to help. “This immediate package of support will ensure those who urgently need it receive vital assistance.”
Geoscience Australia recorded a second earthquake early Wednesday and the agency reported it had a magnitude of 6.0 with a depth of 72 km.