INS Jalashwa with 588 Indians onboard enters Kochi from Maldives

Image courtesy: Indian Navy

Kochi: Indian Navy's INS Jalashwa on Sunday (May 17, 2020) evacuated 588 stranded Indian citizens from the Maldives. The Navy ship left Male port in the Maldives on Saturday.

The 588 citizens include - 497 males, 70 women and 21 children. Among the women include six pregnant ladies. Taking to Twitter, India Naby gave the information of the successful evacuation and said, ''Op #SamudraSetu #Phase2 #INSJalashwa arrives #Kochi with 588 Indian citizens embarked from #Male #Maldives.''

Op #SamudraSetu #Phase2 #INSJalashwa arrives #Kochi with 588 Indian citizens embarked from #Male #Maldives #हरकामदेशकेनाम#IndiaFightsCorona#MissionVandeBharat @SpokespersonMoD @DefenceMinIndia @HCIMaldives @DDNewslive @PIB_India @MIB_India @MoHFW_INDIA https://t.co/het0Iv2nli pic.twitter.com/35oZfqw3GG

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 17, 2020

Among the returnees include 568 from Kerala and the rest from Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Lakshadweep. This is the second trip of INS Jalashwa, which had earlier come with 698 people on May 12. This is part of Operation Samudra Setu which is the repatriation of Indian nationals from foreign shores by sea.

A total of 1488 Indians from 22 states have been evacuated from the Maldives till date which includes 205 women, 133 pregnant/medical cases & 38 children.

1488 and counting!

Glad to share that 1488 Indians fm 22 states evacuated from Maldives; includes 205 women, 133 pregnant/medical cases & 38 children.
Process of evacuation will continue through air to diff cities and ship/s to TN in coming weeks. Details will be shared soon. pic.twitter.com/oOHeJ0eH6q

— India in Maldives (@HCIMaldives) May 17, 2020

Those who arrived were screened by health officials and those having any symptoms will be moved to COVID hospitals, while the others will have to be in quarantine at their homes for 2 weeks. Those hailing from other districts will be sent to their home districts in state transport buses. 

An evacuation flights from Male' has also been scheduled for Bengaluru on May 22 and Delhi on May 23.