Mumbai: Two Air India Express flights on Friday brought 369 Indian nationals who were stranded in war-hit Ukraine to Mumbai from Romania’s capital Bucharest and the Hungarian capital Budapest, the airline’s spokesperson said.
So far, a total of 951 Indians stuck in Ukraine, most of them students, have landed in Mumbai by five evacuation flights operated by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express since February 26.
Thousands of Indians got stuck in Ukraine after Russia invaded the country.
An Air India Express flight from Budapest with 184 Indian evacuees landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here at 12.20 pm.
Earlier in the day, Air India Express flight from Bucharest IX 1204 with 185 evacuees arrived at 2.13 am at the city airport where Union minister Raosaheb Danve welcomed the passengers.
He assured them that the evacuation operation will continue till all those stranded in Ukraine are brought back.
Ukraine’s airspace is shut since February 24, and India has been evacuating its citizens by special flights from that country’s western neighbours including Romania, Hungary and Poland.
Air India, which is now owned by the Tata Group, operated the first evacuation flight from Bucharest which brought back 219 Indian nationals to Mumbai on February 26.
It was followed by two Air India Express flights, both from Bucharest, bringing 182 and 181 Indians on March 1 and March 3.
Air India Express has been operating evacuation flights via Kuwait to facilitate refueling. PTI

Press Trust of India