INS Airavat set to sail from Male with 250 stranded Indians
Jun 21, 2020
Male [Maldives], June 21 : Indian Naval ship INS Airavat is set to sail from Male to Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin with about 250 Indians, who have been stranded owing to Covid-related travel restrictions, under the third phase of Operation ''Samudra Setu'' as a part of the "Vande Bharat" mission.
"Check-in commences for the 5th round of evacuation of Indian nationals from the #Maldives under Op. #SamudraSetu," India in Maldives tweeted.
The official said that the passengers were given food packets.
The INS Airavat had arrived at Male on Jun 20.
Operation Samudra Setu is a part of Vande Bharat Mission to bring back citizens stranded overseas amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Indian Navy had launched Operation Samudra Setu on May 8 to repatriate Indian citizens. INS Jalashwa and Magar have already evacuated 2,874 personnel from the Maldives and Sri Lanka to ports of Kochi and Tuticorin.
