INS Magar arrives at Kochi with 202 Indian nationals from Maldives

KOCHI: In the second phase of the repatriation mission by the Indian navy, more than 200 Indian citizens stranded in Maldives due to the COVID19 pandemic arrived here by a Naval ship on Tuesday evening, officials said.

"The second Indian Navy ship under 'Operation Samudra Setu' - INS Magar with 202 evacuees from Maldives arrived at Cochin Port on Tuesday at 5:45 pm," a Cochin Port Trust statement said here.

There are 91 repatriates of Kerala, 83 of Tamil Nadu and 28 belonging to 15 other states and Union Territories, it said.

The vessel is berthed at BTP Jetty and the disembarkation procedures, including examination and clearance by PHO, Customs and Immigration, are being carried out inside the Terminal.

The Ernakulam District Administration, Police Department and other Government agencies are coordinating transportation, quarantine facilities and ambulances.

People belonging to Tamil Nadu will be moved in buses arranged by the Tamil Nadu Government, officials said.

One of the men, who hails from Tamil Nadu, has a fractured leg. INS Magar was deployed for second phase of repatriation of Indian citizens from Maldives as part of Indian Navy's Operation Samudra Setu under the Union government's Vande Bharat Mission.

In the first phase, INS Jalashwa had evacuated 698 Indian nationals stranded in the Maldives on May 10. Meanwhile, a Defence official said INS Jalashwa will be evacuating around 700 nationals from Maldives on May 15 during her second repatriation sortie.