A second group of over 350 Malaysian nationals, who were stranded in Tiruchi for the past few days following cancellation of international flights, were flown back to Kuala Lumpur by two rescue flights on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The first group was evacuated a few days ago. The stranded persons left by Air Asia flights, which landed here from Kuala Lumpur late on Tuesday. The two flights evacuated 372 adult passengers and six children.
Meanwhile, 113 Indian passengers, including 54 persons, stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport since March 18 were airlifted and have been kept at a quarantine centre near the Chennai International Airport. The 54 passengers of whom over 30 are from Tamil Nadu were on their way back to India when the an announcement on the cancellation of flights was announced.
Sharmila Abdul Lathief, a resident of Ashok Nagar in Chennai who had travelled to Malaysia on a vacation, said that 113 passengers, including others who were stuck in Malaysia, were airlifted by an Air Asia flight late on Monday night. The passengers included at least 30 members from Tamil Nadu, while the rest were from Bengaluru and New Delhi. ‘We reached the Chennai International Airport at around 3 am on Tuesday morning following which we have been asked to stay at a quarantine facility in Tambaram near the airport,’ she said.
The airport authorities tested the passengers for fever symptoms after they had landed at the Chennai airport. Although none were found with any symptoms, they have been kept under observation for 14 days.
The passengers have been provided with all basic amenities, three meals and are being regularly monitored. ‘We are being cared for very well. All our needs are being met. We hope to go home soon,’ she said.
