17 tourists have been rescued in first phase of rescue operations at Andamans' Havelock Island
Rescue operations of around 1,400 stranded tourists from two islands in the Andamans due to cyclonic weather began this morning. The Navy, Coast Guard and the administration of the Union Territory jointly undertook a major evacuation drive.
A defence official said three choppers of the Indian Air force landed at Havelock island, as the weather improved today, and brought back 17 people in the first shuttle.
Six naval ships, two of these from Coast Guard, sailed out in the morning hours from Port Blair for the rescue operations, the official said.
The operation began in full swing as the weather improved with the sun shining, four days after the cyclonic weather stranded thousands in two islands of Havelock and Neil.
All tourists are safe and their needs are being taken care of by the administration.
Located about 40 km from Port Blair, Havelock and Neil islands are among the most popular tourist destination of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They were affected the most by the cyclonic weather.
"A decision has been taken that hotels, where tourists are stranded, will not take room rent from them, besides giving them food and water for free," Deputy Commissioner of South Andamans Udit Prakash Rai had said yesterday.