The Italian Foreign Ministry set up a crisis management group and opened a hotline on Monday to help nationals stranded abroad after UK travel operator Thomas Cook filed for bankruptcy.

The travel giant announced its liquidation on Monday. It has affected an estimated 600,000 travelers and triggered the biggest British peacetime repatriation.

Lorenza Bonaccorsi, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, said that together with the foreign affairs ministry they were checking on Italians stranded abroad.

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Italian authorities are estimating the cost of the firm’s bankruptcy for the national tourist industry.

The Italian civil aviation authority, ENAC, said the effect on air travelers would be limited since there were only two flights from Italy by the Thomas Cook airline planned for Friday.  (NAN)