About 260 South Koreans are heading home from Russia on a special flight amid suspended air traffic in the country in response to the coronavirus epidemic.

According to the South Korean Embassy in Russia, a Korean Air flight with 261 South Koreans aboard departed from Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The flight is expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport at 9:40 a.m. Wednesday. 

The passengers include some 150 people who were stranded in Moscow after their flight bound for South Korea was abruptly canceled last week.

Late last month, Russia announced a move to halt all international flights following a rise in coronavirus cases in the country.