806 Indians Flying Home As Yemen Evacuation Goes On War-Footing

NEW DELHI: India continued evacuating its citizens from Yemen on war-footing, with 806 of its nationals headed for home onboard three flights. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj assured that all Indians would be evacuated from the strife-torn Gulf country irrespective of whether they had travel documents.

A flurry of tweets on the handle of the external affairs minister gave instant updates on the massive evacuation efforts launched by the government in Yemen.

Sushma Swaraj tweeted: "We shall evacuate all Indian nationals from Yemen. Nobody will be left behind for want of travel documents."

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin in a latest tweet, said: "Evacuation from Yemen at full pace - 806 heading home today."

He said that two C-17 Globemaster transport planes of the Indian Air Force were set to land at Mumbai - one carrying 225 passengers set to land at 9.45 p.m. and another ferrying 229 passengers to land at a quarter past midnight.

An Air India flight would reach Kochi with 352 passengers at a quarter past midnight, he said.

India also pulled out 182 of its nationals and 21 foreigners from Al Muqalla port by sea, while 488 Indians were evacuated in three Air India flights out of the Yemeni capital Sana'a.

Sushma Swaraj said all Indian nationals have been evacuated from the southern Yemeni port of Aden. "The evacuation from Aden is complete - thanks to Indian Navy."

She also tweeted: "Thanks to Air India - three planes have taken off from Sanaa for Djibouti with 488 on board."

She retweeted secretary (East) in the external affairs ministry Anil Wadhwa's message: "INS Sumitra departs from Al Muqalla port in Yemen for Djibouti with 203 evacuees - 182 Indian nationals and rest from 8 nationalities."

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