India's Operation Rahat concluded on April 9 after more than 4,700 Indians and nearly 1,000 foreign nationals belonging 41 countries were brought home. (Press Trust of India)
Scripting another successful rescue mission by India through the sea route, two Navy-escorted ships with 475 passengers, including 337 Bangladesh nationals and 65 Yemenese of Indian origin, evacuated from conflict-hit Yemen, would be arriving in Kochi tomorrow.
According to a navy release today, "MV Kavaratti and MV Corals, will be arriving in Kochi with 475 personnel embarked on it at 1400 hrs on April 18. ...This will be the last evacuation from Yemen by the sea route".
The passengers onboard the ships, include 337 Bangladesh nationals and 65 Yemenese of Indian Origin, it said.
India had launched a massive air and sea evacuation operation late last month to bring back its national stranded in Yemen. The air evacuation concluded on April 9 after more than 4,700 Indians and nearly 1,000 foreign nationals belonging 41 countries were brought home.
In addition, Indian naval vessels have also evacuated over 1,670 Indians from Aden, Al Hudaydah and Al Mukalla ports in Yemen since March 31.
The two passenger ships, among the first to be tasked for evacuation by the government, had left here on March 30 and reached Djibouti six days later with armed naval commandos and naval escort on board. It departed from there on April 12.
The ships would be escorted by a naval warship INS Tir till Kochi harbour after which they would be led into their respective berths by Fast Interceptor Crafts(FIC) of the Southern Naval Command, the release said.
"The ships had been anchored off Djibouti as the situation in Yemen precluded their entry into any port. The passenger liners were provided security cover by the Indian Navy with two warships INS Mumbai and INS Tarkash escorting them upto Djibouti during their onward journey.
"During the return passage the ships were initially escorted by INS Tarkash and later by INS Tir. This is in addition to the Marine Commandoes that were embarked on these ships to ensure safety and security of the crew," it said.
Meanwhile, Cochin Port Trust Chairman Paul Antony today held a meeting of various agencies, including district administration, the Non Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA), in connection with the arrival of the evacuees.
The port trust said in a release that NORKA and the district administration in coordination with Railways were overseeing the arrangements for onward travel of the Indians arriving by the ships.
Officials from Bangladesh government are also in the town to co-ordinate onward travel of Bangladesh nationals, it said.