COVID-19: Repatriation of Indian nationals from US to start from Saturday

Seven non-scheduled special flights will operate from Saturday to fly back Indian nationals stranded in the US amidst the international travel lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian embassy here said.

A computerised draw of lots would identify the names of the Indian nationals for the special seven flights back home, due to the limited number of seats available.

On Monday, the Indian government announced plans to begin a phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7. Air India will operate 64 flights from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown, India's Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday.

India is conducting its biggest ever repatriation exercise named Vande Bharat Missionsans social distancing and COVID-19 tests to bring back stranded Indians from abroad.

Beginning May 9, Air India has scheduled seven non-scheduled commercial flights from the US to India ...