DUBAI: India's mission to bring back expats who are stranded in various parts of the world has officially begun with a flight carrying 177 Indians taking off from the Abu Dhabi International Airport on Thursday evening. The flight will reach Kochi International Airport by 9.40 pm.

Meanwhile, another flight carrying expats from Dubai took off at 7.30 pm. The flight, carrying 177 adult passengers and five children, will reach Kozhikode International Airport by 10.40 pm.

The Kerala government has informed that necessary arrangements have been made to place all the passengers in quarantine centres. The passengers will be taken to quarantine centres in their respective districts by KSRTC buses. People having health issues will be moved to Medical College.

It is learnt that the passengers had undergone Covid-19 rapid tests before boarding the train. None of them has tested positive for the virus.