As many as 60 Telugu tourists from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh stranded in Bahrain since February 28 have been airlifted from Dammam (Saudi Arabia) to Kochi on Wednesday (March 11, 2026).
A special flight operated by Gulf Air left Dammam airport at 9.30 local time and arrived at Kochi International Airport at 4.50 am.
“Thanks to the initiative of the Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ramamohan Naidu, a special flight was arranged by Gulf Air. The Telugu expats in Manama (Bahrain)coordinated and ensured that we all were evacuated from Manama and driver to Dammam,” Mr. Goneh Solomon Raj, a tourist from Hyderabad, who reached out to the Indian Government soon after the war broke out told The Hindu this morning after arriving in Kochi.
The special flight had 140 passengers from different parts of the country, he said adding that more people, who are stuck in Manama and other parts of Bahrain were being evacuated in phased manner. He said many of the Telugu-speaking tourists hailed from places like Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Suryapet and several towns of Andhra Pradesh.
“We are grateful to the Indian Government officials and even two days ago an Officer on Special Duty in the Defence Minister’s office contacted us as they continuously coordinated with the stranded tourists and repeatedly reassured them that they would be safely moved to Dammam for onward journey,” Mr. Solomon Raj added.
