Air India Flight Lands In Delhi From Crisis-Hit Ukraine, Students Say ‘Feeling Relieved’. WATCH

A special Air India flight from Ukraine carrying nearly 240 passengers has landed in Delhi tonight. The Boeing 787 aircraft left Ukraine's capital Kyiv at 6 pm and reached Delhi around midnight.

New Delhi: An Air India plane, AI1946, carrying 241 passengers from Ukraine landed in Delhi on late Tuesday night. The Boeing 787 aircraft left Ukraine’s capital Kyiv at 6 pm and reached Delhi around midnight. Those on board were mostly students who were returning after the Indian embassy in Ukraine issued advisories asking them to leave Ukraine temporarily.

In visuals tweeted by news agency ANI, passengers are seen cheering  and showing the victory sign as the aircraft landed in the national capital.

#WATCH | Air India special flight carrying around 242 passengers from Ukraine reaches Delhi pic.twitter.com/ctuW0sA7UY

— ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2022

Shivam Chaudhary, who is pursuing MBBS in Ukraine, was among those who returned. “The situation is peaceful right now but the tension seems to be building up, feeling good after returning home,” he said.

“As a student, I feel it’s panic there (Ukraine). Feeling relieved after arriving here,” said an Indian student pursuing a medical course in Ukraine after landing at Delhi airport.

#WATCH | "As a student, I feel it's panic there (Ukraine). Feeling relieved after arriving here," said an Indian student pursuing a medical course in Ukraine after landing at Delhi airport amid the Ukraine crisis pic.twitter.com/xvfVYwNinO

— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2022

In recent weeks, tensions have been escalating between Ukraine and Russia, and on Monday, Russia recognised the independence of two separatist regions in the eastern Ukraine.

In an advisory issued on February 20, the Indian embassy in Kyiv had asked all Indian nationals “whose stay is not deemed essential and all Indian students” to leave Ukraine temporarily, in view of “the continued high levels of tensions and uncertainties with respect to the situation in Ukraine”.

In another advisory issued on Tuesday, the embassy again asked Indian students to leave Ukraine temporarily, rather than wait for an official confirmation from universities about online classes.

Indians in Ukraine who need information and assistance can also contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or MEA, which has set up a dedicated control room.

Meanwhile, full-service carrier Vistara’s CEO Vinod Kannan on Tuesday said Vistara has no plans at this time to operate flights to Ukraine. “At this time, we are not planning flights to Ukraine because of aircraft limitations and other reasons,” he told news agency PTI.

Air India, recently acquired by Tata group, flew several “Vande Bharat” missions to repatriate Indians when the COVID-19 lockdown was in full effect.

A Civil Aviation Ministry official told PTI some other Indian airlines are likely to operate flights to Ukraine depending on demand.