Coronavirus: India charters plane to bring back its countrymen on Diamond Princess from Japan

• New Delhi will be sending a chartered plane to Japan to evacuate Indians on a Japanese cruise ship
  
  
• The Indian embassy in Tokyo tweeted that the toll rose to 16 after two Indian reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus on the ship.
  
  
• The embassy sent an email advisory to those on the ship with three listed conditions before repatriation.

India will send a chartered plane to Japan, today (Feb26), to evacuate Indians who are infected with the deadly coronavirus on a cruise ship, officials in Tokyo said.

“A chartered flight is being arranged to repatriate Indian nationals onboard Diamond Princess, provided they have (a) consented, (b) not tested positive for COVID19, (c) cleared by the medical team,” the Indian embassy in Tokyo tweeted.

The Indian embassy in Tokyo tweeted that its toll rose to 16 after two Indians reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. Those who fulfil the conditions and consenting to repatriation to India will be evacuated by a special flight, today (Feb 26).

Upon arrival, all passengers will undergo a 14-day quarantine in India, just like the previous batch of people who evacuated from Wuhan, China. Ahead of that, a medical team too will conduct check-ups on the passenger will to come back to India.


Repatriation is subjected to clearing the mandatory check-up by an Indian medical team, the advisory available with TOI stated. The advisory added that the individuals should also follow instructions given by Indian officials and aircraft crew members. It urged all passengers to wear a face mask during the entire journey.

According to reports, a total of 138 Indians were on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which includes 132 crew members as well.

India will also send a separate flight to Wuhan, China, on Wednesday (Feb 26), the city that has been an epicentre of the outbreak, officials said. The special flight will reach China with medical supplies to evacuate about 90 Indians still stuck there.

According to reports, India had announced plans to send Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 Globemaster, the largest plane.

Recently, 406 people who have been quarantined at Manesar in Haryana after the first evacuation from Wuhan were released by the authorities.