IAF's C-17 Aircraft With Over 120 Indian Diplomats From Kabul Lands In Gujarat

The Indian Air Force C-17 heavy-lift aircraft, carrying the second batch of diplomats, officials and journalists from Kabul, landed in Gujarat's Jamnagar. The IAF aircraft flew from Hamid Karzai International (HKI) Airport around 8am Kabul time with the help of US forces manning the ATC.

The C-17 aircraft touched down at the IAF airbase at Jamnagar at 11.15 am, the official said.

The aircraft had taken off from Kabul carrying Indian personnel as part of the emergency evacuation because of the prevailing situation in the Afghan capital following its takeover by the Taliban.

Immediately after passengers on board the C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft deplaned, they were greeted by people present on the tarmac, the official said.

Those on board included officials and security personnel from the Indian embassy in Kabul. Some Indian nationals are also learnt to have returned home on board the aircraft.

Indian ambassador to Afghanistan Rudrendra Tandon is on the flight along with 120 other diplomats and officials.

As per reports, the IAF aircraft is expected to reach Delhi around 1pm.

The first batch of Indians came on Sunday via an Air India flight.

This is the second evacuation flight. On Monday, another C-17 aircraft had evacuated around 40 people including some Indian embassy staff from Kabul before the operations at the airport in the city were suspended.

“Those who were aboard the aircraft will be given lunch and taken to their destinations,” Gujarat minister of state for food and civil supply Dharmendrasinh Jadeja said.

Jadeja and Jamnagar mayor reached the Jamnagar air base before the plane landed.

Gujarat government said in a release that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “personally looking after the evacuation of Indian nationals and officials stranded in Afghanistan” after the Taliban took over the war-ravaged country.

With PTI inputs