Two Indian ships with 484 evacuees arrive from Yemen

Kochi: Two Indian ships - MV Corals and MV Kavaratti - arrived here from strife-torn Yemen on Saturday with 484 evacuees, including 73 Indians, 336 Bangladeshis and 75 Yemenis of Indian origin.

Kerala Minister for Diaspora K.C.Joseph received the ships with district officials.

Joseph is overseeing arrangements with officials from Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi nationals have been asked to remain on the ships. When two chartered flights arrive from Bangladesh at the airport here around 8 p.m., they will board the flights and return to their country, he said.

Of the 75 Yemeni on the India origin, two were unwell and taken to a hospital. The rest of them will move to Mumbai.

Of the 73 Indians, 17 are Keralites and the rest of them hail from other parts of the country. The state government with the Indian Railways have made arrangements for their journey back home.

The two ships departed from Djibouti on April 12.