On March 15, a special Air India aircraft carrying 220 passengers, which included 211 Indian students and seven compassionate cases landed in Delhi. The students were stranded in Italy after flights were cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Indian consulate in Milan expressed its gratitude to all those who helped them evacuate the Indian students.

211 students & 7 compassionate cases departed by AI flight #Milan.🙏all those who helped us through this difficult situation. Special 🙏to @airindiain team & Italian authorities. Consulate will continue to ensure welfare of all Indians in northern #Italy @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar pic.twitter.com/eTX6GXHWCf

— India in Milan (@cgmilan1) March 14, 2020

The evacuated students will be shifted to Indo-Tibetan Border Police’s camp in Chhawla area of Delhi where they will be quarantined for 14 days.

218 Indians including 211 students from Milan landed in Delhi. All will be quarantined for 14 days. GoI is committed to reach out to Indians in distress, wherever they are!Appreciate Govt. of Italy for their support and team @IndiainItaly @cgmilan1 @airindiain .@DrSJaishankar

— V. Muraleedharan (@MOS_MEA) March 15, 2020

India carried out the evacuation process after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and said that Europe is the new epicentre of the deadly virus.

Several students reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs and thanked them for their initiative to bring them back home.

Boarded the special flight arranged by @MEAIndia and @airindiain. Big thanks to all the initiatives taken to bring us home. Great effort by @cgmilan1 in organising everything. @DrSJaishankar @VMBJP pic.twitter.com/SCA4TonvE5

— Devi Krishnan (@devirkrishnan) March 14, 2020

Among all European nations, Italy is the worst-hit over 1,400 deaths. The country reported 175 deaths on Saturday alone.

Another group of 234 Indians stuck in Iran, another epicentre of Covid-19, also landed in the Indian national capital in a Mahan Air flight on March 15. These students included 131 students and 103 pilgrims who were then taken to an army quarantine facility in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer.

234 Indians stranded in #Iran have arrived in India; including 131 students and 103 pilgrims.Thank you Ambassador @dhamugaddam and @India_in_Iran team for your efforts. Thank Iranian authorities.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 14, 2020

Amid increasing scare, Air India has cancelled all flights to coronavirus-hit Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Israel, South Korea and Sri Lanka till April 30.

India has brought back its citizens from China, Japan and Iran as part of the evacuation processes.

Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: IAF, Air India Evacuate 112 From Wuhan, Cruise Ship In Japan