The ordeal of 40-odd Malayalis stranded at the Fiumicino international airport in Rome for over three days came to an end eventually on Friday when a section of them were accommodated on a flight headed to Kochi via Dubai.
They had been languishing at the airport since Tuesday when they were supposed to board a flight to Kochi but was turned down in the last minute as they were not able to produce medical certificates clearing them of COVID-19 infection as required by the Indian government for allowing entry into the country.
“We are on an Emirates flight which left the airport at 2.45 p.m. Italian time on Friday. The flight is expected to reach Kochi on Saturday by around 9 a.m. Though the airline tried its best to accommodate all of us, they couldn’t as the flight was full with no cancellations. The rest are likely to board the flight at the same time on Saturday,” said Santhosh Antony while chatting with The Hindu from aboard the flight. He could not confirm how many of them were on the flight.
He, however, was evasive when asked whether the medical test was conducted as required and said that he would share such details on his arrival. Among the passengers aboard the flight was a two-month-old child and mother.
The stranded passengers’ window for a safe exit seemed remote after reports emerged that the Fiumicino airport was set to be closed on Friday. Asked whether the threat of the shutdown of the airport was still there, Mr. Antony said it may still happen in the days to come.
With no food available at the airport, they were dependent on the food arranged by the Malayali community for the last three days.
The trauma of the stranded Keralites was raised even in the State Assembly on Thursday with both the government and the Opposition unilaterally demanding their return home while decrying the Centre's decision to bring in only those who were tested negative for COVID-19.
Health authorities said the passengers would first go to the district hospital, Aluva, and from there those who required tertiary care would be referred for admission at Government Medical College Hospital, Ernakulam.
