Two Air India aircraft on standby for emergency evacuation as Taliban take over Afghanistan

New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing turmoil in Afghanistan, the national carrier Air India has rescheduled its flight for Kabul from morning to afternoon while two aircraft are on standby for emergency evacuation.

"Air India flight has been rescheduled for Kabul from 8:30 am to 12:30 due to prevailing situation in Kabul," an Air India official was quoted as saying by ANI. Flight operations from around the world are affected at Kabul`s Hamid Karzai International (HKI) airport due to the ongoing turmoil in Afghanistan.

Govt has told Air India to put two aircraft on standby for emergency evacuations from Kabul. Air India has prepared a set crew for emergency operations from Kabul to New Delhi: Govt Sources pic.twitter.com/b8TFQfojbg — ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2021

Air India has been asked by the Government of India to keep two aircraft on standby for the Kabul evacuation. "Two aircraft with a proper set of the flight crew are on standby for Kabul evacuation. The government is monitoring the situation very closely," the government official said.

Sources also indicated that the road to the Kabul airport was blocked since night due to the ongoing violence in the city. "The passengers, as well as the airline staff, are facing severe and challenging conditions to reach the airport," sources said.

Communication with airline employees is also challenging, with mobile networks not operational in many parts of the cities.

Air India operates one flight per day to Kabul and the airline has advance booking for that. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Air India are in touch and continuously monitoring the situation in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Captain T Praveen Keerthi, General Secretary of Air India Pilots Association (ICPA), had written a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia regarding the evacuation of Indians and others from Kabul (Afghanistan).

"We would like to inform you that our pilots are ready to operate Evacuation Flights in the service of our country. Our pilots are ready and willing to go above and beyond to evacuate our Indians. Being a Patriotic and responsible union, the ICPA would extend complete support and cooperation to evacuate the precious lives of the people of our country from Afghanistan. You can count on us," ICPA letter read.

UAE`s, Fly Dubai, suspended its services to Kabul due to the conflict in the country and British Airways ordered all its pilots to avoid Afghanistan`s airspace due to precarious conditions in the country.

Taliban terrorists are assuming control of the Afghan capital of Kabul and have taken control of the presidential palace after the country`s president Ashraf Ghani fled to Tajikistan.

Reports suggest that the movement will soon proclaim the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Sunday said that the Taliban have been asked to enter the capital city of Kabul.