A chartered plane, carrying tourist group members, victims' relatives and the bodies of the eight victims in the hostage crisis in Philippine capital Manila, arrived at the Hong Kong International Airport on Wednesday evening after an around 90-minute flight.

Also on board the chartered flight were 19 family members of the eight dead and those injured tourists. Another eight Hong Kong tourists who were caught in Monday's abduction tragedy also returned on the same flight.

The flight took off around 6:19 p.m. local time from Manila after a brief farewell ceremony.

Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong government Henry Tang, President of Hong Kong's Legislative Council Jasper Tsang, Governor of the Non-official Members of Hong Kong's Executive Council Leung Chun-ying, and deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong Li Gang stepped onto the plane to receive them home.

The hostage crisis in Manila, involving a 21-member Hong Kong tour group, ended on Monday night with eight hostages killed and several others injured, one of whom in critical condition.