The Indian government has started the first phase of repatriation of Indians stranded abroad due to COVID-19 lockdowns. About 64 special flights will bring back 15,000 citizens over the next week or so.
The flights will be operated from May 7 to 14 under the "Vande Bharat Mission". Indian citizens living in the following countries will be evacuated - Bahrain, UAE, Malaysia, USA, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Singapore, UK, Oman, Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
These flights will also carry foreigners currently stranded in India and Indians settled in other countries back home on its way to these countries.
Elaborate arrangements have been made at various airports across India including the installation of thermal temperature scanning systems for passengers arriving from abroad.
Week 1 flight plan (Source: Ministry of Civil Aviation)
Check the repatriation flight schedule
The first two flights landed in India on May 7, carrying 363 passengers from the UAE:
Abu Dhabi to Kochi - 177 passengers plus 4 infants reached Cochin from Abu Dhabi.
Dubai to Kozhikode - 177 passengers plus 5 infants reached Kozhikode from Dubai.
The state governments will now arrange for their mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Following are the updates as of May 9:
-Kuala Lumpur-Trichy flight departs with 177 passengers ETA 2200hrs.
-IX 442 Muscat to Kochi with 177 passengers and 4 infants - yet to land
-Evacuation flight AI-130 for Mumbai took off from London today with 329 Indians on board.
Apart from the flight from London there are two other flights landing in Mumbai from Singapore and Manila. Here are the details:
Flight from Singapore to Mumbai AI-343 carrying 243 passengers to land around 1230 on May 10.
Flight from Manila to Mumbai AI-1387 carrying 241 passengers to land around 2300 on May 10.
-AI 988 Kuwait-Hyderabad flight with 160 passengers on board took off
-IX396 Kuwait-Cochin with 177 passengers. ETA : 2138LT
-IX184 Sharjah to Lucknow, with 182 passengers and 2 infants ETA: 2105LT
- Doha to Cochin (Arrival at Cochin: 0140 hrs on May 10)
All Indians who return will be quarantined for 14 days.
Follow our full coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here.
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