'Vande Bharat Mission': First batch of 326 Indians stranded in UK arrives in Mumbai

As India's major evacuation mission the Vande Bharat Mission entered its fourth day on Sunday morning, Air India's first evacuation flight with 326 Indians from London landed at Mumbai. The airport authorities, in a statement on Saturday, said that the arriving passengers with symptoms will be moved to isolation centres.

Mumbai: The first batch of 326 Indian nationals stranded in the UK due to the coronavirus-linked global travel restrictions arrived here from London early on Sunday morning.

The special evacuation flight AI 130, a Boeing 777 plane which departed from London on Saturday, landed at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at around 1.30 AM with 326 Indians, according to a source.

"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 onboard the flight.

"Reached Mumbai safely from UK. Thank you so much to @airindiain @HCI_London, @NISAU_UK, @MEAIndia," another person said in a tweet.

The airport authorities, in a statement on Saturday, said that 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 of the city will be transported by the state to their respective district headquarters, it said.

PTI