Global Affairs says it is working at “high levels” to evacuate 95 Canadians from the Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos after they were barred by local officials from boarding an Air Canada flight sent to fly them home Sunday afternoon.

The flight was set to depart the islands’ primary international airport at 4:30 p.m. ET.  In a statement to CBC News/Radio-Canada, the airline said authorities refused to allow the travellers to board, “despite previous confirmations the charter flight would be authorized.”

According to Air Canada, many of the passengers reside in Quebec.

Austin Jean, spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, said the department is aware of the situation.

“We are actively working with local partners to resolve the situation. The government is currently raising this issue at high levels,” he said.

Several travellers scheduled to take the flight — as well as some of their concerned family members —contacted CBC News/Radio-Canada, saying they were driven back to a Club Med resort where they had been vacationing after being denied entry onto the airplane.

The flight left Toronto earlier Sunday carrying 95 electricians as part of a humanitarian aid mission. The group is set to help rebuild the islands’ devastated electrical grid after Hurricane Irma lashed the vacation hot spot as a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of up to 280 km/h.

It wasn’t entirely clear as of early Monday if the electricians were allowed entry, but Air Canada said that the plane remains in place and is ready to transport travellers back to Canada as soon as the situation is resolved.

Neither the airline or Global Affairs offered an explanation as to why local authorities would not allow them to board the aircraft.

“The plane is still in place. Air Canada continues its efforts with island authorities to bring the Canadians back to the country,” said Isabelle Arthur, spokesperson for Air Canada.