india

Updated: Apr 09, 2015 17:07 IST

The total number of Indian evacuees from war-ravaged Yemen touched 4,000 with nearly 700 more nationals, including 600 from Sanaa, being rescued in 3 air sorties as the government decided to end the air evacuation operation on Wednesday.

While 600 people were rescued by state carrier Air India, over 100 others were being evacuated from Al Hudaydah by INS Turkish on Tuesday, officials told PTI.

According to sources, 4,100 Indians had registered with the Indian mission in Yemen and most of them are out. The government may continue the evacuation by sea route for some more time, they added.

India also received requests from 26 countries including the US, Bangladesh and Iraq for assistance in evacuating their nationals from the strife-torn country. While Pakistan did not seek help for the evacuation of its nationals, India also rescued Pakistani nationals during the operation.

In the begining, India struggled for several days to ramp up its rescue effort and had to hire a ship to evacuate its nationals from the port of Aden as fighting escalated there.

India's rescue effort got off to a false start, with planes commandeered from Air India sitting idle in Muscat, Oman, as it was impossible to negotiate the opening of a safe air corridor with the Saudis.

Things got moving with the deployment of minister of state for external affairs General VK Singh to a forward operations base in Djibouti, on the other side of the Gulf of Aden, from where Indian Air Force C-17 transporters picked up evacuees brought out by Air India from Aden and flying them home.

India's embassy in the Yemeni capital Sanaa has a full-time staff of just 10, making it tough to track citizens there - some reluctant to leave even in the face of danger because losing their jobs would spell financial ruin.

Here are 50 pictures that show the ground situation in Yemen and Indian evacuees reaching home safely:

Battle in Yemen. AP

Indian nationals, evacuated from Yemen, by Pakistan Navy ship, chant thankful slogans upon their arrival at Karachi port in Pakistan. AP/PTI Photo

MoS for external affairs Gen (retd) VK Singh with the Indian nationals in Djibouti after they were evacuated. PTI Photo

Members of Bharat Bachao Andolan protest against Saudi for war against Yemen at Azaad Maidan in Mumbai. HT Photo/Pratham Gokhale

People wait in the departure lounge at Sanaa International Airport as hundreds of foreigners are evacuated from conflict-hit Yemen. AFP Photo

Indians evacuated from Yemen, arrive at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. HT Photo/Sanjay Solanki

Indians evacuated from Yemen, arrive at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. HT Photo/Sanjay Solanki

Indians evacuated from Yemen, arrive at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. HT Photo/Sanjay Solanki

Indians evacuated from Yemen, arrive at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. HT Photo/Sanjay Solanki

Indians evacuated from Yemen, arrive at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. HT Photo/Sanjay Solanki

Indian nationals who were stranded in Yemen alight from the C17 after being evacuated from Djibouti, at International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

A relative receives one of the Indian nationals evacuated from Yemen, upon their arrival at the International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

Indian nationals who were stranded in Yemen alight after being evacuated from Djibouti, upon their arrival International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

Indian nationals from Kolkata who were stranded in Yemen show their passports, upon arrival at International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

Indian nationals who were stranded in Yemen seeking information at the govenment help, upon arrival at the International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

An Indian evacuee from Yemen hugs her son after arriving at the international airport in Mumbai. Reuters Photo

A man kisses his daughter, who was evacuated from Yemen, at the international airport in Mumbai. Reuters Photo

Officials work as Indian evacuees from Yemen arrive at the international airport in Mumbai. Reuters Photo

Indian evacuees from Yemen, arrive at the international airport in Mumbai. Reuters Photo

Indian women waits for the arrival of their family member at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. AP Photo

MoS for external affairs Gen (retd) VK Singh with the Indian nationals after they were evacuated from Aden (Yemen) to Djibouti. PTI Photo

MoS for external affairs Gen (retd) VK Singh with the Indian nationals after they were evacuated from Aden (Yemen) to Djibouti. PTI Photo

Yemen23

MoS for external affairs Gen (retd) VK Singh with the Indian nationals after they were evacuated from Aden (Yemen) to Djibouti. PTI Photo

MoS for external affairs Gen (retd) VK Singh with the Indian nationals after they were evacuated from Aden (Yemen) to Djibouti. PTI Photo

Followers of the Houthi demonstrate against the Saudi-led air strikes on Yemen, in Sanaa April 1, 2015. Reuters Photo

Yemeni supporters of the Shiite Huthi militia attend a demonstration in the second largest city of Taiz to protest against the Saudi-led coalition’s Operation Decisive Storm against the Huthi rebels in Yemen. AFP Photo

Tribal gunmen loyal to the Huthi movement brandish their weapons in the capital Sanaa during a demonstration against Saudi-led coalition’s Operation Decisive Storm against the Huthi rebels in Yemen. AFP Photo

Tribal gunmen loyal to the Huthi movement wave the national flag in the capital Sanaa during a demonstration against Saudi-led coalition’s Operation Decisive Storm against the Huthi rebels in Yemen. AFP Photo

The first batch of 168 Indian nationals, evacuated from Yemen by Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft, arrive at Kochi International Airport. PTI Photo

190 Indian nationals who were stranded in Yemen alight from the Indian Air Force C17 (Globemaster) aircraft after being evacuated from Djibouti, at the International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

190 Indian nationals who were stranded in Yemen alight from the Indian Air Force C17 (Globemaster) aircraft after being evacuated from Djibouti, at the International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

Indians evacuated from Yemen, arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. HT Photo/Satish Bate

Indians evacuated from Yemen arrive at CST railway station to depart to their respective places after they arrived safely at the Mumbai airport.. HT Photo/Shakti Yadav

Indians evacuated from Yemen arrive at CST railway station to depart to their respective places after they arrived safely at the Mumbai airport. HT Photo/Shakti Yadav

Indians being evacuated from Yemen at Al Hodeidah port. PTI Photo

Indians being evacuated from Yemen at Al Hodeidah port. PTI Photo

Indians being evacuated from Yemen at Al Hodeidah port. PTI Photo

Indians being evacuated from Yemen at Al Hodeidah port. PTI Photo

A woman supporting Yemen's former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, wears a pin with an image of Saleh's son Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh (C), during a rally against airstrikes, in Sanaa. Reuters Photo

Labourers working in Yemen coming back to West Bengal at Howrah Station, in Kolkata. HT Photo/Ramkrishna Samanta

A boy wearing a surgical mask holds a weapon in Sanaa. Reuters Photo

Kerala nurses evacuated from Yemen, upon arrival at the international airport in Kochi. PTI Photo

Kerala nurses evacuated from Yemen upon arrival at the international airport in Kochi. PTI Photo

Indian nationals evacuated from Yemen, upon their arrival at the International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

Indian nationals evacuated from Yemen, upon arrival at the International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

Indian nationals evacuated from Yemen, upon arrival at the International Airport in Mumbai. PTI Photo

Indian nationals evacuated from Yemen, upon their arrival at the airport in Chennai. PTI Photo

Indians evacuated from Yemen, arrive at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. HT Photo/Satish Bate

Indians evacuated from Yemen, arrive at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. HT Photo/Satish Bate

MoS for external affairs Gen (retd) VK Singh with the Indian nationals in Djibouti after they were evacuated. PTI Photo



Read | Over 4,000 Indians evacuated from Yemen, Op Rahat to end on Wdnesday



Read | VK Singh lands in fresh controversy, calls media 'presstitutes'



Read | 560 dead amid fears of humanitarian collapse in war-torn Yemen



With inputs from PTI, Reuters, ANI

Photos from HT, AP, Reuters, PTI