Air India’s Second, Third Evacuation Flights Bring Home Around 500 Indian Students from Ukraine

Air India’s second evacuation flight from Romanian capital Bucharest carrying 250 Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine landed at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Sunday, government officials said. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia welcomed the evacuees at the airport by handing out roses to them.

The second evacuation flight, AI1942, carrying 250 Indian citizens landed at the Delhi airport around 2.45 am on Sunday, the officials said.

Air India’s third evacuation flight, AI1940, which departed from Hungarian capital Budapest, has also reached to Delhi on Sunday. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted pictures of the third flight of “Operation Ganga” with 240 Indian nationals arriving from Budapest.

India on Saturday began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, with the first evacuation flight, AI1944, bringing back 219 people from Bucharest to Mumbai in the evening.

The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.

Indian nationals who reached the Ukraine-Romania border and Ukraine-Hungary border were taken to Bucharest and Budapest, respectively, by road with the assistance of Indian government officials so that they could be evacuated in these Air India flights, the officials said. The government is not charging the rescued citizens for the evacuation flights, they said.

Air India shared on Twitter photos of Scindia receiving the evacuees at the airport. “Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia receiving the Indian nationals who were flown back to Delhi from Bucharest by AI 1942 on February 27 early morning, operated to evacuate Indians stranded at war-ravaged Ukraine,” the airline said.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had said on February 24 that around 16,000 Indians, mainly students, were stranded in Ukraine. The Indian Embassy in Ukraine said on Twitter on Saturday that Indian citizens in Ukraine should not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with the Indian government officials there using the helpline numbers.

“The situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and the Embassy is working continuously with our Embassies in our neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens,” it mentioned.

‘Difficult to Help Indians Reaching Borders Without Prior Intimation’

The Indian embassy in Ukraine Saturday night said it is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the eastern regions of the country, and appealed to Indian nationals to remain patient and safe, amid an increasing military offensive by the Russian forces. In a series of tweets, the embassy said it is in constant touch with the authorities on the safety of the Indian nationals.

“Closely monitoring the developing situation, especially in Eastern regions of Ukraine. In constant touch with the authorities on the safety of our citizens. To all Indians who remain in Ukraine, we are with you,” it said.

“Indian citizens have successfully been evacuated from Ukraine through Romania and shortly through Hungary. Working to open up more borders with neighbouring countries for our citizens. Please stay patient and safe,” it said.

The embassy, however, did not mention the number of Indians who have been evacuated to Romania. Earlier, the embassy issued a fresh advisory, asking the Indians staying in the eastern parts of Ukraine to remain in their current places of residence and stay indoors or in shelters as much as possible.

“All those currently in the Eastern sector are requested to continue to remain in their current places of residence until further instructions, maintain calm and stay indoors or in shelters as much as possible, with whatever food, water and amenities available and remain patient,” the embassy said.

“Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoint without prior intimation,” it said. India on Friday managed to set up camp offices in Lviv and Chernivtsi towns in western Ukraine to facilitate the transit of Indians to Hungary, Romania and Poland.

India also positioned teams of officials at Zahony border post in Hungary, Krakowiec as well as Shehyni-Medyka land border points in Poland, Vysne Nemecke in the Slovak Republic and Suceava transit point in Romania to coordinate the exit of Indian nationals from Ukraine.

India is trying to evacuate its nationals through Ukraine’s land borders with Hungary, Poland, Slovakia after the Ukrainian government closed the country’s airspace following the Russian military offensive.

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