KOCHI: It was an emotional homecoming for the 18 Keralites who arrived at the Nedumbassery airport on Thursday from the war-torn Libya.
When the Dubai-Kochi Emirates flight landed at 8.30 am, relatives who had been waiting since early morning heaved a sigh of relief. The airport witnessed emotional scenes when they reached out and hugged the returnees, who had been stranded in Libya for long.
Abraham of Kochuparambil, Pathanamthitta; his wife Manju Mary Jacob; son Jaisal Sam; Thomas Nakkolil of Kolathoor, Pathanamthitta; his wife Litty; Joby Jose of Changottu, Kuruppamthara, Kottayam; his wife Ancy; daughter Jismin; Joby Kurian of Kuzhivelikkakathu, Alappuzha; his wife Nivia, daughter Jona; Manikuttan Shanmugham of Kandathil, Kuttamperoor, Alappuzha; his wife Raji Rajan; daughter Mithra; Joseph Chacko of Chambakulathil, Kottayam; his wife Simi; son Niyon and daughter Niyamol are the rescued persons who returned home on Thursday.
Meanwhile, 11 persons from three Tamil Nadu families who were rescued from Libya left for Chennai from Dubai.
According to NORKA officials, the stranded Indians travelled from Tripoli to Istanbul and then to Dubai, before arriving in Kochi.