First flight carrying stranded Indians from Abu Dhabi lands at Kochi

The first Air India Express flight

carrying Indian citizens from Abu Dhabi landed at the airport here on Thursday night as India launched its biggest ever repatriation exercise in its history to bring back its nationals stranded abroad amid the international travel lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Air India Express flight IX 452 with 177 passengers and four infants landed at the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) at 10.09 pm, an airline spokesman said.

Another Air India Express flight IX 344 with 177 passengers and five infants from Dubai is expected to land at the Kozhikode Interantional Airport at 10.45 pm, he said.

The evacuated citizens will be sent to the quarantine facilities set up by the administration in their respective districts,Kerala government officials said.