Friday 07 / February / 2025
Muscat: Thirty-seven Omani nationals were stranded in India following the implementation of measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 have flown back to Oman.
The Omanis returned home on a flight that had been organised from Hyderabad to repatriate Indian expats in Oman, under the Indian government’s Vande Bharat mission. The Omanis had been previously unable to return home after the Indian authorities temporarily stopped all commercial incoming and outbound passenger aircraft.
“The Vande Bharat mission brings joy to our Omani friends also, as the Air India flight from India that landed in Muscat a short while ago to ferry back Indian passengers, brought back 37 Omani nationals,” said a statement from the Embassy of India, on Monday, May 18.
That aircraft – IX 818 – then took off once again for Hyderabad with 183 Indian nationals on board. “We again express our gratitude to Omani & Indian authorities and wish all the passengers a safe journey home,” said the Indian embassy.
The repatriation flight to Hyderabad was the fourth flight organised to Oman under the Vande Bharat initiative, and the second this week. Two flights – one each to Chennai and Kochi – were organised last week, while the first repatriation flight this week landed in Thiruvananthapuram. A total of 11 repatriation flights have been organised for this week.
The next flights have been scheduled for May 20, on which three planes will be sent to Oman. Two will land in Muscat, and take passengers to Kannur and Bangalore, while the third will go to Salalah and then return to Calicut.
