The last batch of 97 stranded Russian tourists in Kerala left for Moscow on Thursday in a chartered flight from Thiruvananthapuram international airport.
Seven Russian tourists from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh also boarded the Royal Flight aircraft in the State capital. A majority of the passengers were women and had been held up in the southern districts since the COVID-19 lockdown began on March 25 and the international flights were banned.
All the 104 passengers were subjected to health screening in the international terminal of the airport and only those tested negative were allowed to board the chartered flight.
The two previous attempts to arrange chartered flights from here to Moscow did not succeed. Honorary Consul of Russia Ratheesh C. Nair, Deputy Director, Marketing, Kerala Tourism and Information Officer, Ramesh T. P. coordinated the travel.
The flight left from here to Kolkata where another 110 Russian tourists would board the flight, Mr. Nair said.
Last night, 103 Keralites stranded in Russia arrived here in the Royal Flight from Moscow. Of them, 80 were students studying there.
