|
New
Delhi,
Feb
24:
India
is
now
considering
alternate
evacuation
routes
as
the
crisis
in
Ukraine
worsens.
High
level
meetings
at
the
Ministry
of
External
Affairs
are
on
to
find
a
solution
and
bring
back
Indians
stranded
in
Ukraine.
“The
present
situation
in
Ukraine
is
highly
uncertain.
Please
maintain
calm
and
remain
safe
wherever
you
are,
be
it
in
your
homes,
hostels,
accommodations
or
in
transit,”
the
Indian
Embassy
had
said
earlier.
An
Air
India
plane
that
took
off
for
Kyiv
in
Ukraine
on
Thursday
morning
to
bring
back
Indians
from
the
eastern
European
nation
is
returning
to
Delhi
due
to
the
closure
of
Ukrainian
airspace
amid
the
Russian
military
offensive.
After
the
Air
India
flight
had
departed
from
Delhi
on
Thursday
morning,
the
Ukrainian
authorities
issued
a
NOTAM
(Notice
to
Airmen),
which
stated
that
flights
of
civil
aircraft
within
Ukraine
“are
restricted
due
to
potential
hazard
for
civil
aviation”.
Air
India
and
the
central
government
then
decided
to
call
back
the
plane
to
Delhi,
officials
said,
adding
that
the
plane
took
an
about
turn
in
the
Iranian
airspace
to
return
to
Delhi.
An
airline
spokesperson
said
the
Air
India
flight
AI
1947
is
returning
as
a
NOTAM
has
been
issued
at
Kyiv.
The
flight
started
from
the
Indira
Gandhi
International
Airport
(IGIA)
here
at
around
7.30
am
for
Boryspil
International
Airport
in
Kyiv.
Meanwhile,
a
Ukraine
International
Airlines
flight
from
Kyiv
landed
at
the
Delhi
airport
at
around
7.45
am
on
Thursday.
“There
were
182
Indian
nationals
on
board
the
flight
and
majority
of
them
were
students…A
couple
of
more
flights
have
been
scheduled,”
Anju
Wariah,
Director
at
STIC
Group,
said.
The
group
is
the
General
Sales
Agent
(GSA)
for
Ukraine
International
Airlines
in
India.
After
weeks
of
rising
tensions,
Russia
on
Thursday
announced
a
military
operation
against
Ukraine.
Air
India’s
Thursday
flight
was
scheduled
to
be
the
second
flight
to
bring
back
Indians
from
the
eastern
European
nation.
The
first
flight
that
operated
on
February
22
brought
back
around
240
people.
On
February
19,
Air
India
announced
that
it
would
operate
three
flights
between
India
and
Ukraine
on
February
22,
24
and
26.
(With
PTI
inputs)
Story first published: Thursday, February 24, 2022, 14:08 [IST]
For Quick Alerts Subscribe Now For Quick Alerts ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS | Published: Thursday, February 24, 2022, 14:08 [IST] New Delhi, Feb 24: India is now considering alternate evacuation routes as the crisis in Ukraine worsens. High level meetings at the Ministry of External Affairs are on to find a solution and bring back Indians stranded in Ukraine. “The present situation in Ukraine is highly uncertain. Please maintain calm and remain safe wherever you are, be it in your homes, hostels, accommodations or in transit,” the Indian Embassy had said earlier. An Air India plane that took off for Kyiv in Ukraine on Thursday morning to bring back Indians from the eastern European nation is returning to Delhi due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace amid the Russian military offensive. After the Air India flight had departed from Delhi on Thursday morning, the Ukrainian authorities issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), which stated that flights of civil aircraft within Ukraine “are restricted due to potential hazard for civil aviation”. Air India and the central government then decided to call back the plane to Delhi, officials said, adding that the plane took an about turn in the Iranian airspace to return to Delhi. An airline spokesperson said the Air India flight AI 1947 is returning as a NOTAM has been issued at Kyiv. The flight started from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here at around 7.30 am for Boryspil International Airport in Kyiv. Meanwhile, a Ukraine International Airlines flight from Kyiv landed at the Delhi airport at around 7.45 am on Thursday. “There were 182 Indian nationals on board the flight and majority of them were students…A couple of more flights have been scheduled,” Anju Wariah, Director at STIC Group, said. The group is the General Sales Agent (GSA) for Ukraine International Airlines in India. After weeks of rising tensions, Russia on Thursday announced a military operation against Ukraine. Air India’s Thursday flight was scheduled to be the second flight to bring back Indians from the eastern European nation. The first flight that operated on February 22 brought back around 240 people. On February 19, Air India announced that it would operate three flights between India and Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26. (With PTI inputs) Story first published: Thursday, February 24, 2022, 14:08 [IST]