Lockdown: Air India flight brings home 239 Indians from UK

Mumbai: An Air India flight landed here from London at 1.30 am on Sunday carrying 239 Indians from the UK who were stranded there due to suspension of commercial passenger air services and the subsequent lockdown, an official statement said.

In addition to this, two more repatriation flights — one each from Singapore and Manila ( Philippines) — are expected to arrive in Mumbai on Sunday, it said.

While the flight from Singapore (AI 343) will be carrying 243 passengers, the Manila-Mumbai flight (AI 387) would bring back 241 Indian nationals from the South East Asian country, as per the statement.

“1st flight 2 #Mumbai landed- crew interaction less with the passengers. Protective kit was given 2 all-along with snack n meal kept on the seat beforehand. Next #quarantine. Watch the space,” tweeted a passenger on the flight.

“Reached Mumbai safely from UK. Thank you so much to @airindiain @HCI_London, @NISAU_UK, @MEAIndia,” another passenger tweeted.

The Mumbai airport authorities, in a statement on Saturday, said the arriving passengers with symptoms will be moved to isolation centres.

Asymptomatic passengers residing in Mumbai will be moved to quarantine facilities like hotels, while those from outside the city will be transported by the state to their respective district headquarters, it said.