Young Kerala housewife Asna, hailing from Pattambi in Palakkad district, is breathing easy as she is back home after an unexpected return on the first evacuation flight from Abu Dhabi on Thursday night.
Ms. Asna, who is 45 days pregnant, arrived with her one-and-a-half-year-old son. They had left here on a month’s visit visa to join her husband who works as an accountant in Abu Dhabi.
First visit
“We had gone for our first visit there for a month on March 12. But when things turned bad all over and flights were cancelled, we were worried about our return journey. But on Wednesday night, we got a message from the authorities there, I and my son can return on the first flight,” said Asna.
“Yesterday we reached the Abu Dhabi airport in the afternoon and there was no difficulty either at the airport or in the aircraft. After the flight landed here, everyone was helpful and after all the health check-ups, we were allowed to go out where my father was waiting to take me back home. We are really happy to be back home safe and sound,” added Asna.
Relieved
Asna’s father Nasser, a small-time building contractor, is equally relieved as they were also worried ever since the lockdown came into effect.
“We were happy when she left but within a week our fears started to increase when we heard the news from everywhere and it increased when India closed the air space. After that we were glued to the television to know what’s happening,” said Nasser.
“We heaved a sigh of relief when we heard that pregnant women would get preference in the evacuation flight. I would like to thank the police officers here who helped me to get a pass to drive to the airport to pick her up. After a two-hour drive we reached home at 3.30 a.m. and I am yet to sleep, as after arriving it was time for our morning Ramadan prayers,” he added.
Now all of them will have to be in self isolation for 14 days as per the health protocol.