Ukraine Crisis: Flight With 219 Indians Takes Off From Romania, Likely To Land In Mumbai At 8:30 PM

Confirming the same, the CSMIA spokesperson said the evacuated students would be arriving in Mumbai by AI1944 at ETA at 8 p.m. on Saturday.

The first flight to Mumbai with 219 Indian nationals has taken off from Romania. (Image: Twitter/@DrSJaishankar)

Mumbai: Air India's first evacuation flight to Mumbai has taken off from Romania's capital Bucharest on Saturday with 219 Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine due to the ongoing Russian military offensive, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed.

The special flight is likely to land in the financial capital at around 8:00 pm tonight, sources informed ABP News. 

Regarding evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, we are making progress.

Our teams are working on the ground round the clock. I am personally monitoring.

The first flight to Mumbai with 219 Indian nationals has taken off from Romania. pic.twitter.com/8BSwefW0Q1

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 26, 2022

Meanwhile, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has blocked a special corridor for the Indian students, who have been evacuated from Ukraine.

The Airport Health Organization (APHO) team will be conducting mandatory temperature checks at the airport as per the guidelines laid down by the government, the CSMIA spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the passengers would be required to produce either a COVID-19 vaccination certificate or a negative RT-PCR test report at the time of arrival.

The CSMIA spokesperson further said that in case any passenger is not able to show any of the documents at the time of arrival then they will have to undergo RT-PCR testing at the airport.

The spokesperson added that the cost of the same would be borne by the airport. These passengers would be able to leave the airport only after testing negative.

If any passenger is tested positive, they shall be clinically managed as per the protocols laid down by the government. In addition, the CSMIA is undertaking steps to smoothen the process for the young students arriving at the airport.

The CSMIA has fenced in a special area at the airport for the arriving passengers to sit and will provide them with free WiFi codes, distribute food and water bottles.

The CSMIA will also provide them with any guidance or medical assistance if required at the time of arrival. 

Meanwhile, Air India's second evacuation flight has departed from Delhi at 11.40 AM and is expected to land in Bucharest at around 6.30 PM (Indian Standard Time), officials told news agency ANI.

Indian nationals who reached the Ukraine-Romania border by road have been taken to Bucharest by Indian government officials so that they can be evacuated in the Air India flights.