Air India flight carrying more than 150 citizens from Bahrain lands at Cochin

Central government's repatriation exercise, one of the largest in the world begun earlier this week and will witness thousands of Indian students, tourists, working professionals retun to the contry after at least seven weeks. On Friday evening, an Air India flight brought back more than 150 passengers from Bahrain to Cochin.

READ: India To Expand 'Vande Bharat Mission' Beginning May 15

Citizens return to Cochin

An official statement read: "As part of the repatriation operations, Air India flight IX 474 carrying 152 passengers, 25 children and 5 infants from Bahrain safely landed at the Cochin International Airport on Friday, the second day of the Vande Bharat evacuation mission."

READ: Vande Bharat Mission: Indian Navy To Evacuate Over 1,800 Stranded Citizens From Maldives

The Central government will be using flights and ships to bring back Indians stranded abroad and both, INS Jalashwa and INS Magar are equipped with proper PPE kits with medical and administrative support staff to provide care to people onboard. Many stranded Indians will also be brought back from countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia among others.

Air India will operate flights from Riyadh, London, San Fransisco, Washington DC, Singapore between May 8 to 14. The cost of travel by air will have to be borne by passengers, the external affairs ministry said. Most flights with evacuated Indians will land in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, and Chennai. 

READ: Air India Mandates Quarantine For Evacuation Crew Till COVID-19 Test Comes Negative

As per guidelines, those wishing to return to India must register themselves with the Indian Missions in the country where they are stranded, along with necessary details as prescribed by the Ministry of External Affairs. They will have to travel to India by non-scheduled commercial flights that'll be arranged by the Civil Aviation Ministry (MoCA) and naval ships to be arranged by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA). Only those crew/staff, who have tested negative for COVID-19, will be allowed to operate the flight/ship.

MHA said priority will be given to compelling cases in distress including migrant workers/labourers who have been laid off, short term visa holders faced with the expiry of visa, persons with medical emergencies/ pregnant women/ elderly, those required to return to India due to death of family member and students. The cost of travel, as specified by the MoCA and DMA will be borne by such travellers.

READ: Vande Bharat Mission: 4 Flights Land In India, 15000 Returnees Expected; Details Here