TIRUCHY: High drama took place at the Tiruchy International Airport on Saturday morning as a Malaysian couple tried to commit suicide after they were not provided seats in the special flight. The couple identified as Lalitha (55) and Subramaniam (65) came to the airport to board the flight to Malaysia. However, they came to know that their names were not included in the list.
Also, disappointed with response of embassy officials, they tried to consume sleeping pills. However, police prevented them. Sources said that airport officials and police held talks with the airline and arranged seats for them.
“We do not know how their names were not included in the list. We have raised the issue with the airline and concerned officials and arranged seats for them,” an officer said. Later, the flight with 152 passengers, including the couple, took off at 10:35 am. This is the third rescue flight from Malaysia to take its citizens in Tiruchy, in this week.
7 flights from city airport to evacuate foreigners
The Chennai airport has operated seven flights to evacuate as many as 1,142 foreign citizens to their home countries since April 1. This included four flights of Batik Air to Kuala Lumpur, two flights of Air India to Frankfurt and a Qatar Airways flight to Paris via Doha, said Chennai Air Customs Commissioner Rajan Chaudhary. Customs is providing urgent clearance of critical equipment and components for manufacturing of ventilators and defibrillator; medical gloves, masks and digital forehead thermometers.