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COVID-19: 699 Singapore citizens, residents return from India on chartered flights

Returning Singapore citizens and residents from India clearing immigration at Changi Airport. (PHOTO: Ministry of Transport)
Returning Singapore citizens and residents from India clearing immigration at Changi Airport. (PHOTO: Ministry of Transport)

SINGAPORE — Nearly 700 Singapore citizens and residents returned safely from India on chartered flights on Friday and Saturday (10 and 11 April).

According to a media release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, all the 699 returning passengers will serve a 14-day self-isolation at dedicated Stay-Home Notice facilities upon arrival in Singapore.

Due to the national lockdown across India to curb the spread of COVID-19, many of the passengers had to travel from surrounding states to reach the airports in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, where the chartered flights operated.

The evacuation and ground operations in India were coordinated by the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi, Singapore Consulate-General in Mumbai, and the Singapore Consulate-General in Chennai. The Singapore government expressed gratitude to the Indian government for facilitating the safe return of the Singapore residents.

Previous returns from Cairo and Kathmandu

This is the third occasion in a week in which Singapore citizens and residents living in foreign countries were able to return to the Republic via specially-arranged flights.

On Wednesday (8 April), 224 Singapore residents arrived in Singapore from Cairo, Egypt, on a special repatriation flight arranged by MFA and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis). The flight was arranged after Egypt suspended all commercial flight services.

The group includes 211 students who are studying at Al-Azhar University.

Last Saturday (4 April), 22 Singapore residents also returned to Singapore from Kathmandu, Nepal. They had boarded a repatriation flight arranged by the Malaysian government for its nationals from Kathmandu to Kuala Lumpur, and they subsequently returned to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur.

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