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New Delhi, Delhi, India
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given its nod to bring back 414 Indians stranded in Italy to Goa.
Most of these Indian nationals are ship crew members, and will be brought by three chartered flights -- arranged by M/s Costa Cruise company.
The flights are tentatively scheduled to land in Goa on May 20.
Pratap Singh Rawat, under secretary, MHA, said in an official memo that the ministry had no objection to "carrying out immigration functions in respect of 414 Indian nationals coming to India (Dabolim Airport, Goa) from Italy through three special flights".
The clearance was subject to production of No Objection Certificates from competent authorities in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Director General of Civil Aviation, the memo added.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant tweeted about the development, thanking the MHA and Ministry of External Affairs.
I thank the Ministry of Home Affairs and @MEAIndia for facilitating special Chartered Flight carrying 414 Goan seafarers from Italy to land at Dabolim airport in Goa. #GoaFightsCOVID19#IndiaFightsCOVID19 pic.twitter.com/fNelLkGTVv
â Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) May 16, 2020
As per the state government data, at least 7,000 Goans working on ships are stranded across the globe since the outbreak of coronavirus.