Operation Kaveri first batch: 278 Indians start journey home from Sudan port

The Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said 278 people onboard the ship departed Port Sudan for the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.

Op Kaveri first batch: 278 Indians start journey home from Sudan port

Indian nationals wait to board INS Sumedha in Port Sudan on Tuesday as they leave for Jeddah under Operation Kaveri. (PTI)

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The first batch of Indians stranded in violence-hit Sudan left the country onboard India’s naval ship INS Sumedha as part of the evacuation mission ‘Operation Kaveri‘.

The Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said 278 people onboard the ship departed Port Sudan for the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.

Read | Evacuation from Sudan: ‘Last 6 days were tough’

“First batch of stranded Indians leave Sudan under #OperationKaveri. INS Sumedha with 278 people onboard departs Port Sudan for Jeddah,” Bagchi tweeted.

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Port Sudan and Jeddah are separated by the Red Sea, and it usually takes about 12 hours for a ship to travel between the two locations.

In Jeddah, the Indian Air Force has kept two planes ready to bring the Indians back home.

This came a day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that about 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan where INS Sumedha was docked.

Port Sudan is about 850 kms away from Sudan’s capital city Khartoum. Situation has been volatile in Khartoum with reports of fierce fighting at various locations.

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Officials said that the Navy ship option is being used since Sudan’s airspace has been closed, making the evacuation of stranded Indians from the African country a big challenge.

Launching ‘Operation Kaveri’, Jaishankar had said that India’s ships and aircraft are set to bring the Indians back home.

The government has said it was focusing on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens located across Sudan.

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