IAF, Navy helicopters shower flower petals to honour COVID-19 warriors in Kerala

(Eds: Recasts, adds Navy's activities) Thiruvananthapuram, May 3 () Flower petals wereshowered by Indian Air Force and Navy helicopters on hospitalswhile a fly-past and steam-past conducted in Kerala on Sundayin honour of the front-line workers fighting the COVID-19pandemic.At around 10 am, the Sarang helicopter of the IAF flewpast the Government Medical College Hospital and the GeneralHospital here as part the nation-wide initiative by the armedforces to honour doctors, paramedics, sanitation staff andother front-line workers battling coronavirus. It hovered over a statue of 'mother and child' at themedical college hospital and moved towards the main entranceshowering petals. The lightweight chopper flew past over the hospital onceagain and left for the General Hospital to honour the COVID-19warriors there. A Defence release said the "Indian Coast Guard will honourthe front-line workers by illuminating the Coast Guard Ships(Dress Overall) at Shangumugom Area on May 2 and 3 from 6.15p.m to 8.30 p.m." In Kochi, Naval aircraft carried out the fly-past over theMarine Drive while seven Fast Interceptor Crafts undertook asteam-past in the channel along the city's iconic spot. A Defence release said a number of activities wereorganised by the Navy in Kochi, headquarters of the SouthernNaval Command, to express appreciation of the entire nationtowards the relentless efforts of the medical professionals,health workers, police personnel, government staff and mediaagainst COVID-19. Navy's representatives, including Commodores N AnilJoseph, Arti Sarin and G K Dutta, met doctors, paramedics,police personnel, firemen, sanitation workers and otherfrontline workers at the Ernakulam General Hospital andapplauded their efforts. "The naval team conveyed that the nation is looking up-tothe continued success of COVID warriors so that normalcy isreturned at the earliest", a defence spokesman said in therelease. A Chetak helicopter of the Navy showered flower petals onthe district hospital. Subsequently, the flypast consisting of two Dornieraircraft, one SeaKing helicopter, two Advanced LightHelicopter (ALH) and two Chetak helicopters was conducted. It was immediately followed by steampast by seven FastInterceptor Crafts of the Navy in the channel, displaying abanner India thanks Corona Warriors. Rajendra Maidan at Ernakulam was open to the public for alimited time with social distancing protocol to witness theseactivities and show their support. Earlier in the day, the SNC band played some famousnumbers on a warship berthed opposite the Cochin ShipyardLimited and near the Vikrant-Venduruthy Bridge, epochallandmarks of Kochi. The ships of Southern Naval Command, anchored in thecentre of the Ernakulam Channel, would undertake traditionalceremonial illumination, along with the firing of green flaresand sounding of siren, in the evening as part of the Navysactivities expressing solidarity with the corona warriors,the release added. RRT TGBVS VS