490 Indian, Sri Lankan nationals repatriated

Under efforts to repatriate foreign nationals stranded in the Maldives, a further 490 individuals were repatriated back to their home nations today by the Maldives Immigration.

Maldives Immigration said that the 198 Indian nationals had departed back via sea transport today.

The country has so far repatriated 2,700 Indian nationals after the COVID-19 outbreak. Most of the individuals were repatriated via Indian navy vessels. Authorities have said that there are around 27,000 Indian nationals in the Maldives for different purposes.

A total of 292 Sri Lankan nationals were also repatriated today via air travel. 

The majority of the infections in the COVID-19 outbreak in the Maldives are foreign nationals, amounting to 66 percent of cases. They include 206 Indian nationals as well as 12 Sri Lankan nationals.

Repatriation efforts by the government have also seen a large number of Bangladeshi nationals sent back home. They include undocumented individuals as well.