Coronavirus Scare: Globemaster with first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims returns from Iran

Ghaziabad, Mar 10: Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster military aircraft carrying the first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims, who were stranded to a major Covid-19 oubreak amid the coronavirus outbreak in Iran landed at Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad on Tuesday.

"Thanks to the efforts of [the Embassy of India in Iran] and the Indian medical team there, operating under challenging conditions. Thank you [Indian Air Force]. Appreciate cooperation of Iranian authorities. We are working on the return of other Indians stranded there," Jaishankar tweeted.

About 2,000 Indians are living in Iran, a country that has witnessed increasing numbers of coronavirus cases in the last few days.

According to latest reports, 237 people have died of the coronavirus infection in Iran while the number of positive cases stands at around 7,000.

Meanwhile, Jaishankar on Monday made a surprise visit to Kashmir and met parents of students stranded in coronavirus-hit Iran as well as tourism industry representatives, assuring both groups that the government was seized of their problems and all would be well.

It is the second such evacuation by the C-17 Globemaster in the last two weeks.

On February 27, 76 Indians and 36 foreign nationals were brought back from the Chinese city of Wuhan by the aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The aircraft had also taken a consignment of medical supplies to China to help it deal with the crisis.

The C-17 Globemaster is the largest military aircraft in the Indian Air Force's inventory. The plane can carry large combat equipment, troops and humanitarian aid across long distances in all weather conditions.

India has so far reported 46 coronavirus cases. According to reports, the number of cases of novel coronavirus worldwide has crossed 1,10,000 in 100 countries and territories with more than 4,000 dead.