Flight carrying 176 Indian nationals departs Colombo

The First special Air India flight AI 0276 carrying 176 Indian nationals who were stranded in Sri Lanka took off from Colombo yesterday for Mumbai, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said.
The flight was arranged under ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ a Government of India initiative to undertake the largest ever repatriation of Indian nationals stranded due to the Covid-19 pandemic from across the world back to India .   The High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay interacted with Indian passengers at the Bandaranaike International Airport and wished them a safe journey. Officials from the High Commission of India in Colombo briefed the home-bound passengers on arrival and health protocols in India.   

The joyous passengers thanked the governments of both countries before boarding the flight to India.