MP: Special flight brings back 143 Indians stranded in Russia

A special Air India flight carrying 143 Indians, who were stranded in Russia due to the coronavirus-induced-lockdown, landed at the Indore airport in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, an official said. The flight from Moscow reached the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport via Delhi at 3.40 am, airport director Aryama Sanyal said.

The passengers were screened at the airport and their belongings were sanitised, she said. A health department official said all 143 passengers belonged to Madhya Pradesh. Of them, 24 are residents of Indore and they have been sent to a quarantine centre here for seven days, he said. The other passengers are being sent to their native places, the official said.

The central government started the Vande Bharat Mission on May 6 to help stranded people reach their destinations using special repatriation flights. Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.