IAF Flight To Evacuate Stranded Indians From Coronavirus-Hit Wuhan Delayed Due To Technical Reasons

Indian Air Force's largest plane C-17 Globemaster's scheduled flight on Thursday (20 February) to coronavirus affected city Wuhan in China to evacuate Indians stranded there has been delayed due to technical reasons.

IAF's plane was to carry medical supplies to China and then evacuate remaining Indians from Wuhan.

Indian mission informed the stuck citizens that due to technical reasons, the date of the flight is being changed.

"As we continue to work on the logistics of the evacuation, we would like to inform you that due to technical reasons, the date of the flight is being changed," Indian Mission in China told the citizens in Wuhan.

The mission said, "The new date, further instructions regarding pickup, movement to Wuhan airport will be communicated in due course."

Two days ago India had decided to send its C-17 military transport aircraft to Wuhan to evacuate more Indians. The C-17 Globemaster was also to deliver a consignment of medical supplies to China's Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic.

The globemaster is the largest military aircraft in the Indian Air Force's inventory.

Earlier, India's national carrier Air India has already evacuated around 640 Indians from Wuhan in two separate flights.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)