Air India's bill is being picked up by the Government.
And even if someone didn't know about how an evacuation is, listen to the comments of passengers. They all express gratitude to the Govt, Navy and Air India.
Posted online: Monday, July 24, 2006 at 0000 hrs Print Email
NEW DELHI, JULY 23:In the wake of Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in that country, is proving to be a tough task with the communication infrastructure in Lebanon being adversely hit.
Advertisment Related Stories 604 Indians make it home safe ‘Our camps were bombed just after we left’ India looking at Lebanon airlift Peacekeepers to stay on ‘Rules may have been bent to get Intel to Israel and not to India’ Meanwhile, officials in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs said the body of Devesh Kumar Swain, the first Indian casualty of the West Asia crisis, is expected to arrive in New Delhi at 7 am tomorrow by Syrian Airways flight RB 501. The body will then be flown to Bhuwaneswar. Swain, a native of Orissa, was a glass factory employee.
Though the Indian embassy in Beirut is stepping up its efforts to evacuate more people, the collapse of communication infrastructure is affecting the process.
‘‘Many people have lined up to get evacuated. But we are crippled and can’t get in touch with them. The Indians are also finding it difficult to get in touch with us with the collapse of communication infrastructure,’’ a senior government official said.
However, about 700 people have left for Larnaca and are expected to reach the Cyprus city by evening. They are expected to be flown down to Chennai and Mumbai in two Air India flights by Monday evening.
Air India will be flying two aircraft every alternate day. At the same time, the Indian embassy in Beirut has been getting more requests for evacuation from its nationals. Many Indians are stranded in the worst-hit part of South Lebanon.
Since many countries are evacuating citizens, berthing of ships too have become an issue. The Beirut airport is badly hit and there are not many roads that can be accessed. That leaves the port the best possible and safe way to move out the citizens.
‘‘It’s a war-zone, and we need coordination with the port staff at Beirut and other such agencies. With too many ships milling around and other communication problems, we find it a tough task, though we have been successful in evacuating our nationals,” the officials said.
Yes if ur willing to pay u will be evacuated earlier as a priority otherwise u ll have to wait till ur no. comes in and its such people who get better seats though food and other services are same for all. Besides u dont have to pay something like the actual price of the ticket but maybe something more less than that Whom do you pay to, Indian embassy, AI capt,AI aunty, AI office in Larnaca ( they don't fly there ), or you know of people who are ready to con helpless refugees in a evacuation ? Go on share the secret.
Whom do you pay to, Indian embassy, AI capt,AI aunty, AI office in Larnaca ( they don't fly there ), or you know of people who are ready to con helpless refugees in a evacuation ? Go on share the secret. Clever Boy !
Fourth batch of Indian evacuees from Lebanon to arrive tomorrow
New Delhi, July 30 (UNI)
With the escalation of hostilities in West Asia, a special aircraft of the Air India will airlift more Indian nationals from Cyprus tonight.
Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA) Ministry said here today that 82 Indian evacuees would reach Mumbai via Colombo in the early hours tomorrow.
Majority of the passengers of the chartered AI aircrafts are from Sri Lanka. Out of the 411 people airlifted from Beirut, 324 are from the Island country and five from Nepal.
India has evacuated 1857 people in three batches, starting July 21, with the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon.
OIA Ministry sources said the evacuees belonging to Sri Lanka will alright at Colombo, while other passengers would be arriving at Mumbai.
Arrangements are already being made with Air India and Indian Airlines for connecting flights and road transport for the evacuees to reach their destinations.
The 82 Indian evacuees include 43 from Punjab, 26 from Delhi, six from Chandigarh, four from Tamil Nadu, two from Haryana and one from Kerala.
AI is flying to Colombo after maybe 40 years or so!! That AI is helping out Sri Lanka is a to Emirates and Sri Lankan also.
A relative of mine came from SIN in an SQ flight few days when AIs evcuation flight landed at BOM...and the media people with their cameras showed all over the airport as if he was also an evacuee!!!
Next hour telephone calls all over "why did you go to lebanon"
He said a good thing to me that if someone would have asked him by mistake taking him to be an evacuee about lebanon he said i would reply "Lebanon was like Singapore"
-- Edited by the_380 at 22:21, 2006-07-31
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Light travels faster than sound...thats why people appear bright, until you hear them talk!