21 Kerala medical students who are studying at Dalian Medical University, China are reportedly stuck at Kunming international airport in China. The students, including 15 girls, all from Kerala were trying to return to India after the area in which they were residing reported an increase in the number of Coronavirus cases.
21 Kerala Students Stranded In Chinese Airport
They had booked tickets to India via Singapore on February 3 and when they reached the Kunming airport, Scoot Airlines refused to let them board the flight. They were informed that no foreign nationals from China except the Singapore citizens had permission to board the flight.
According to the students, they have not been informed earlier about the ban on foreign nationals in Singapore and got to know only after reaching the airport.
A student said, “Though we wanted to return to Kerala early, the journey was delayed due to the visa extension procedures. Our visa was to expire on February 28 hence we had to wait until its extension procedure was completed. After getting the visa, we booked tickets in Scoot Airlines from Kunming to Singapore and from there to Thiruvananthapuram. The University authorities permitted us to move out after submitting a written agreement that we won’t return to the university hostel. So we can’t go back.”
Due to the coronavirus epidemic, only a few passenger flights are operating from Kunming airport. The students have sought the help of Indian authorities to return to Kerala.
Meanwhile, the External Affairs Ministry has reportedly begun the process to bring back the 21 Indian students stranded in the Chinese airport following the novel coronavirus outbreak.
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