AI flight with Ukraine returnees to land at 8pm in Mumbai today

An Air India flight that departed from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for Romania’s capital Bucharest early on Saturday to bring back Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine is expected to return to Mumbai at 8pm, the airport operator said.

CSMIA also said it has blocked a special corridor for the arriving passengers.

AI-1944 left Mumbai at 3.38am and landed in Bucharest at around 10.45am, an AI official had earlier said.

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The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since the morning of February 24 and therefore, the evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest, the capital of Hungary.

“In the light of the current crisis in Ukraine, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) is extending full support to the evacuation of the stranded Indian students, who are arriving in Mumbai today [Saturday] by AI-1944 at 8pm (expected time of arrival),” CSMIA said.

Around 20,000 Indians, mainly students, are currently stranded in Ukraine, according to officials.

The airport operator said it has fenced in a special area at the facility for the arriving passengers and will provide them with food and water. They will also be provided with guidance or medical assistance if required, it said.