IAF Plane Brings Back 76 Indians, 36 Foreigners From Wuhan. 119 Evacuated From Diamond Princess Also Flown Home

A C-17 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force landed in the national capital on Thursday carrying a total of 112 people who were flown into safety from the Coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan.

Out of the evacuees, 76 are Indian nationals, while the remaining 36 are citizens of Bangladesh, South Africa, Madagascar, Myanmar and Maldives, US and China.

MEA

¡°76 Indian nationals are returning home on this flight, which also has onboard 23 nationals from Bangladesh, 6 from China, 2 each from Myanmar and Maldives and one each from South Africa, USA and Madagascar,¡± Indian ambassador to China Vikram Misri said.

In Delhi, the evacuees, including the foreign nationals will be quarantined for 14 days to monitor them for the deadly virus.

MEA

"The evacuees will go through a thermal screening procedure at the tarmac of the airport after which they will be kept at our facility in Chhawla area for quarantine," a spokesperson of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said.

The ITBP spokesperson said a team of doctors, paramedics and others will be present at the quarantine facility round-the-clock and the inmates will be provided facilities like food, bed and indoor entertainment to spend time.

MEA

The C-17 the largest military aircraft of the IAF had departed for Wuhan on Wednesday carrying 5 tonnes of medical supplies for coronavirus-affected people in China, after receiving clearance from the Chinese authorities.

On Thursday morning another batch of evacuees, the passengers and crew members onboard the Diamond Princess Cruise ship docked off at Yokohama in Japan were also flown home on a special Air India flight that arrived in New Delhi from Tokyo.

The evacuees include 119 Indian nationals (113 crew members and 6 passengers) 5 foreign nationals, 2 Sri Lankans, 1 Nepalese, 1 South African and 1 Peruvian. All the evacuees will undergo a14 day quarantine at the quarantine facility set up by the Indian Army in Manesar, Haryana.

MEA

According to the MEA, three Indian crew members didn't board the special flight and conveyed their wish to continue their stay on-board the Cruise ship to complete the period of extended quarantine put in place by the Government of Japan.

Out of the total 138 Indian nationals originally on-board the Diamond Princess, 16 Indian crew members have tested positive for Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) and are receiving necessary medical care and treatment at onshore medical facilities in Japan. Embassy of India in Tokyo has established contact with these individuals and is continuously following-up on their recovery.

The ship was put under quarantine by Government of Japan on 5th February 2020 for 14 days until 19th February 2020, as one of the passengers who had disembarked from the ship had tested positive for COVID-19. The quarantine period was extended by the Government of Japan as the crew members were performing their regular duties during the initial quarantine period of 14 days.