KOCHI: An Air India Express flight carrying 181 stranded Indians from Dubai landed at the Cochin International Airport here on Saturday as part of the second phase of the Central government's ambitious Vande Bharat Mission.
This is the first evacuation of people of Kerala stranded in foreign soil in the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission, an airport spokesman said here.
Air India along with its subsidiary Air India Express operated a total of 64 flights (42 by Air India and 24 by AI Express) to 12 countries including the US, the UK, Bangladesh, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Philippines, UAE and Malaysia to repatriate over thousands of Indians in the first phase.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has said each and every function in this massive air evacuation mission strictly adheres to the safety and hygiene protocol laid down by the government and DGCA.
Extensive and meticulous safety arrangements are in place in accordance to government guidelines for safe evacuation of Indians stranded in foreign soil due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday gave its nod for three chartered flights to bring back 414 stranded Indians, most of them ship crew members, to Goa from Italy.
Pratap Singh Rawat, undersecretary, MHA, said in an official memo that the ministry had no objection to "carrying out immigration functions in respect of 414 Indian nationals coming to India (Dabolim Airport, Goa) from Italy through three special flights".
The flights, arranged by M/s Costa Cruise company, are tentatively scheduled to land in Goa on May 20.
The clearance was subject to the production of No Objection Certificates from competent authorities in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Director General of Civil Aviation, the memo added.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant tweeted about the development, thanking the MHA and Ministry of External Affairs.
As per the state government data, at least 7,000 Goans working on ships are stranded across the globe since the outbreak of coronavirus.
Goa Seaman Association of India's Founder President Dixon Vaz said it was good news for the families of stranded seafarers.
"We expect similar action to follow in future and all Goans who are stranded abroad and brought back home," he said.