11.3K stranded Indians return in Phase 1 of Vande Bharat mission
Over 11,300 Indians stranded abroad have been flown back to the country till Friday, in the first phase of the government’s Vande Bharat mission. Repatriation flights by the national, carrier Air India (AI) and its subsidiary, Air India Express operated as many as 58 inbound and 61 outbound flights till May 15, transporting over 14,800 stranded passengers to and from the country.
“One flight each operated on Friday which marked the completion of phase-I of the Vande Bharat mission. Until Thursday, 11,204 Indians were brought back on 57 flights, and 60 flights had flown stranded passengers to their countries,” an aviation ministry official said.
While Air India brought back 7,959 stranded Indians on 39 flights, 3,385 passengers were flown back on 19 flights by Air India Express.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which is coordinating with various authorities on the mission, appreciated the efforts of the airport managements, doctors and paramedics of Airport Health Organisation (APHO) and local civic and transport department of the states for successfully completing the first phase of the mission.
The second phase began on Saturday. A total of 149 flights, including feeder flights, will be operated to bring back the stranded Indians from 40 countries, unlike the first phase that had covered only 12 countries. Of these 149 flights, 13 will come from the United States (US), 11 from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 10 from Canada, nine each from Saudi Arabia and the UK, eight each from Malaysia and Oman, and seven each from Kazakhstan and Australia.