INS Airavat reaches Tuticorin with 198 stranded Indians from Maldives

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Airavat carrying 198 stranded Indians, who have been stranded owing to Covid-related travel restrictions, has arrived in Tuticorin from Maldives, under the third phase of Operation ''Samudra Setu'' as a part of the "Vande Bharat" mission.

Giving a break up of the list of passengers, the officials stated, "Of 198 passengers, 188 are male, 7 female, 3 children."

While 195 people are from Tamil Nadu, three are from Puducherry, the officials said while adding "All the passengers were screened outside the ship as per the coronavirus pandemic protocol. Their luggage were disinfected by local Thoothukudi district authorities.

The INS Airavat had set sail from Male on June 21.

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.

( With inputs from ANI )