Coronavirus outbreak: Air India raises Rs 6 crore bill for evacuating stranded people from Wuhan

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New Delhi: Air India has raised a bill of almost Rs 6 crore for evacuating 647 people from Wuhan, the epicentre of coronavirus.

The minister of state in the ministry of external affairs V. Muraleedharan in response to a question in Lok Sabha said, "Air India has raised a bill of Rs. 5,98,90,352/- for operating two special flights to China."

The state carrier spent Rs 92,566.23 on each of the 647 people to evacuate them from China, worst impacted by Coronavirus.

Air India's two special flights were sent to Wuhan on January 31, 2020 and February 1, 2020 to evacuate 640 Indians and 7 Maldives citizen.

India has sent a total of three flights to evacuate its citizens and many foreigners from Wuhan. Barring the 2 Air India flight, an Air force C17 was sent in the last week of February to evacuate more people. 

"An Indian Airforce flight carrying relief material to China also carried Indian citizens from Wuhan, China on its return journey. Expenditure details are yet to be received from Ministry of Defence, "Muraleedharan said.

Government of India evacuated a total of 766 persons, including 723 Indian nationals and 43 foreigners from China. 

119 Indians have been brought back to India from the cruise ship Diamond princesses which was quarantined off the coast of Japan.

The flights which were sent to China were medically equipped and included a team of doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) hospital. A team of engineers, security personnel were also sent in the special flight. The rescue mission was lead by Captain Amitabh Singh, Director operation of Air India.