COLOMBO – Another batch of 174 Indian nationals including an infant stranded in Sri Lanka following the closure of airports in both countries, were repatriated on a special Air India flight to Delhi on Tuesday (25). The flight was scheduled as part of ‘Vande Bharat Mission’, the largest ever repatriation program undertaken by the Government of India to return stranded Indian nationals from across the world.
Nearly 2000 Indian nationals have been repatriated from Sri Lanka so far in seven special Air India Flights, the Indian Naval vessel Jalashwa which made a voyage from Colombo to Tuticorin, and through various charter flights.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo, in a statement issued on Wednesday (26), said a passenger manifest was prepared based on the registrations received by the High Commission. It said priority was given to compelling cases in distress, including migrant workers/labourers who have been laid off, short term visa holders faced with expiry of visa, people with medical emergency/ pregnant women/elderly, those required to return to India due to death of family member, and students as stated in the Standard Operating Procedure issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
The statement also urged stranded Indian nationals who have not yet registered with the High Commission to do so on https://hcicolombo.gov.in/COVID_helpline.
-ENCL