300 Goan seafarers to be repatriated from Italy

Panaji, May 19 (IANS) Around 300 Goan seafarers stranded in Italy on account of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, will be flown in to Goa's Dabolim international airport on two special flights on Wednesday, an official said.Briefing reporters on Tuesday, Airports Authority of India's manager for the Goa International Airport, Gagan Malik also said that another flight carrying more seafarers could land in Goa on Thursday and also pick up around 100 Italians who are stranded in Goa on its return journey."According to latest information, the first flight will land at 8.30 a.m. and the second will arrive at around 3 p.m. We have not got the passenger manifest yet, but we expect around 300 passengers on both flights," Malik said.On May 16, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had given a clearance for the repatriation of more than 400 Indian seafarers working for Italian cruise company 'Costa Cruises' to Goa on May 20.More than 30,000 Goans seafarers are currently stranded in various ports-of-call across the globe awaiting return home.
--IANS maya/vd