Mumbai/New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) A flight carrying 44 Indians evacuated from the coronavirus-affected Iran arrived here from Tehran on Friday afternoon, officials said.
Besides the passengers, there are 17 crew members and the aircraft has been parked at an isolated area at Mumbai airport to avoid any contact with other passengers or flights.
Officials indicated that all the passengers would be shifted by an Indian Navy team to a quarantine facility.
It is not known whether there are any passengers showing symptoms of Covid-19, and further details are awaited.
An earlier report had stated that all the passengers have tested negative, but would be quarantined as per the existing health protocol for coronavirus.
Earlier, the second batch of Indian pilgrims arrived in India on Friday from Iran, Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar tweeted.
It was then reported that these 44 would be sent to a quarantine centre in Jaisalmer, but Col Sombit Ghosh, PRO Defence, told IANS that there is no confirmation about that.
Jaishankar praised the efforts of the medical team of the Indian embassy in Iran and Iranian authorities involved in the evacuation operation.
“Our efforts to bring back the others continue. @India_in_Iran and our medical team — keep up the good work. Appreciate the support of Iranian authorities and their airlines.”
After Wuhan, Italy and Iran witnessed the worst outbreak of coronavirus. Many Indians, including students, pilgrims and fishermen, have been stranded in Iran amid the outbreak.
The government will carry out another evacuation, but the date is yet to be decided, a Ministry official said on Thursday at a press conference.
The Indian government has set up a testing lab in Iran where the screening and tests are being conducted and prospective cases are detected there itself before bringing Indians back from Iran.
–IANS
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