MUMBAI: The Indian Air Force aircraft with 246 Indians evacuated from war-torn Sudan landed in Mumbai on Thursday.
They were flown to Mumbai via Jeddah, under ‘Operation Kaveri’, an official said here on Thursday
According to reports, the plane, which took off from Jeddah around 11 am IST, landed in Mumbai around 3.30 pm.
It was a happy moment for the families of 246 Indians who landed by the special Indian Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft at Mumbai airport from strife-torn Sudan.
Nearly 3,000-odd Indians were stranded in the violence-ravaged country where fierce fighting is underway between the army and a paramilitary group.
Also read: Over 400 killed in fighting in Sudan, PM Modi asks officials to prepare evacuation plans for Indians
“Our efforts to swiftly send Indians back home from Jeddah is paying. 246 Indians will be in Mumbai soon, travelling by IAF C17 Globemaster. Happy to see them off at Jeddah airport,” tweeted Union minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan minutes before the plane left for Mumbai.
Amidst chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, the tired passengers heaved a sigh of relief and profusely thanked the Indian government for prompt response.
Officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat were present at the airport to receive the evacuees.
Notably, Flight Lieutenant Har Raj Kaur Boparai, Indian Air Force’s first and only woman pilot of the heavy lift aircraft took part in the operation.
The huge aircraft, which is the largest aircraft asset of the IAF, took off from the Hindon air base in Ghaziabad, flew to Jeddah and safely evacuated the stuck Indians.
“Flt Lt Boparai is the first and only woman officer of the IAF who has flown the C-17.
“She is the only woman officer in the aircraft’s squadron,” according to report.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared images of the evacuees after they landed in Mumbai.
“Another #OperationKaveri flight comes to Mumbai. 246 more Indians come back to the motherland,” he tweeted.