A special evacuation flight for Indians stranded in Wuhan took off from Mumbai a little after 9 a.m. on January 31.
The 423-seater double-decker aircraft, with a 12-member crew, five doctors and a paramedic, is being operated by Air India and will make a quick stop at Delhi, where the government has made arrangements for medical kits to be uplifted. The doctors will also board in Delhi.
While the doctors have been chosen by the government, Air India is sending a paramedic. All those on board have been advised to wear the N95 masks as a precaution.
The aircraft will later leave for Wuhan on the afternoon of January 31 and is expected to return to Delhi late in the night with 325 passengers, most of whom are students.
Upon its return, the aircraft will be taken to a remote bay and later fumigated.
Another evacuation flight has been planned for Saturday to depart from Delhi or Mumbai and return to the national capital by night.
“Air India will board only those passengers who do not show symptoms of the infection,” said a senior Health Ministry official.
He added that 16 crew members will be on board for the evacuation process. The crew is travelling with masks, gloves and disinfectant sprays and will not get off the aircraft in Wuhan.
There will be minimal contact with the passengers during the flight.
The Air India picked up special medical kits in Delhi being procured by the Health Ministry.
