97 from Karnataka, including tribals, return from Sudan

BENGALURU: Ninety-seven people from Karnataka, including members of the Hakki Pikki tribe, who were stranded in civil war-hit Sudan, landed in Bengaluru on Friday after being rescued as part of the special central mission titled Operation Kaveri.
All the returnees were sent home in special KSRTC buses. According to Manoj Rajan, commissioner, Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, three flights carrying Indian nationals touched down at Kempegowda International Airport in the morning.
Earlier, the Indians were rescued out of Al Fashir town, located 1,800km west of Port Sudan, with Indian Embassy officials there organising two buses to transport them to safety. “The journey was challenging and arduous with buses breaking down and change of vehicles needed. The people, despite agonising moments, exhibited grit and courage during the entire journey, helping the authorities bring them home safely,” Rajan said.
The first flight, with 18 Karnataka natives, took off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and landed in KIA at 8am. The 11 men and seven women from the group belonged to Shivamogga and were sent home after preliminary medical checks and vaccine inspection.
Another flight landed at 10am after taking off from Jeddah. All 53 passengers in the flight — 16 men and 37 women — underwent medical checks. The third flight also landed from Jeddah and had 26 men, airport sources said.
Friday’s returnees included people from Shivamogga, Ramanagara, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, and Dharwad. Till now, 439 people from Karnataka have been rescued and returned from Sudan.