COVID-19: Indians stranded in Sri Lanka to sail back home on June 1

The Indian mission in Sri Lanka has made arrangements to repatriate its nationals stranded in the island nation due to the travel restrictions triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The voyage will be part of "Operation Samudra Setu" under which Indian Naval ships are bringing back stranded citizens from abroad.

"Continuing the ongoing efforts for repatriation of Indian nationals stranded in Sri Lanka an Indian Naval Ship INS Jalashwa will make a voyage to Tuticorin from Colombo Port on June 1, 2020," said an Indian High Commission release.

The number of Indian nationals stranded in Sri Lanka was not immediately known.

Priority will be given to compelling cases, including migrant workers/labourers who have been laid off, short-term visa-holders faced with expiry of documents, people with medical emergency, pregnant women, elderly persons, persons required to return to India due to death in family and students.

Under "Operation Samudra Setu", the Indian Navy had repatriated nearly 1,500 Indian nationals from the Maldives in two phases in its vessels--INS Jalashwa and INS Magar on May 10, May 12 and May 17.

Sri Lanka has so far recorded 1,027 coronavirus cases, out of which nine lives have been lost. The lockdown restrictions have been eased considerably eased now and businesses are functioning under health guidelines.