INS Airavat ferries 198 stranded Indians from Maldives

Chennai, June 23 As many as 198 Ind stranded in Maldives were brought to V.O. Chidambaranar port in Tuticorin on Tuesday morning by Indian Navy ship Airavat, said a defence official.

The repatriation is part of Operation Samudra Setu under the Vande Bharat Mission to bring back Ind stranded in other countries as the flights were grounded to prevent spread of coronavirus.

The ship had left the Male port on Monday. The passengers on disembarkation were screened by the port health officials. Their luggage was also sanitised.

As per the protocol, the passengers at the port terminal were asked to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile phones and other formalities were also carried out.

Earlier this month nearly 700 Ind stranded in Maldives and a similar number of Ind stranded in Sri Lanka were brought to Tuticorin by the Navy.

( With inputs from IANS )