Repatriation flights bring in 426 stranded seafarers

Vasco: Two repatriation flights arrived at the Dabolim airport on Tuesday, while another relief flight arrived late Monday night, together bringing in a total of 426 stranded Goan seafarers from Manila, Barbados and London.

According to sources at the airport, Philippines Airlines flight arrived at Dabolim at 3 am with a total of 130 seafarers from Manila. All the passengers were shifted to a quarantine centre at Cansaulim.

An Air Asia relief flight landed at the airport from Mumbai around 5.35 pm with 180 seafarers from London. After the collection of throat swab samples, all the passengers were shifted to different hotels in North and South Goa.

Meanwhile, a Qatar Airways flight from Barbados in West Indies arrived at Dabolim late Monday night carrying 116 passengers; all the passengers have been shifted to a quarantine centre in Panaji.