KOLKATA: At least 160 British Nationals stranded in East and North-East India due to coronavirus lockdown were repatriated on Sunday in a chartered flight organised by the UK government.
Nick Low, British Deputy High Commissioner to Kolkata said, "I am delighted that we have helped repatriate stranded British nationals from the East & Northeast India in a charter flight organised by UK government. Today, we helped send back 160 British nationals in this charter flight from Kolkata to London via Delhi."
"I am grateful to the Government of India, state governments and local authorities, Kolkata Airport Authority and Hotel Holiday Inn for assisting the safe passage of our British nationals back to the UK,"he added.
He also said , "The UK and India are a force for good in tackling COVID-19 together."
The UK will send 17 more charted flights next week starting April 20 to take the British travellers back home in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.
As per the release by the British High Commission, flights from Ahmedabad to London will fly on April 20, 22, 24, and 26. The flights from Amritsar will operate on April 21, 23, 25 and 27.Flights from Bengaluru via Ahmedabad to London will fly on April 23.
The flights would also be operating from Delhi to London on April 21, 23, 25 and 27. Flights from Goa to London will operate on April 20, 22 and 24 and flight from Mumbai to London will operate on April 26.
Jan Thompson, Acting High Commissioner to India, said in the official release: "There will be 17 more charter flights next week to take British travellers back to the UK - on top of the 21 flights announced previously."