Special Air India flight carrying 46 Indian Nurses and 137 others from Erbil in Kurdistan has arrived in Kochi a short while ago.

All arrangements have been made at the Kochi Airport to receive the Nurses and others arriving from Iraq. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is in Kochi to receive the Nurses. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Chandy said that he is extremely relieved over the evacuation of Nurses from Iraq.

He said it was the result of collective efforts and thanked External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Indian Embassy in Iraq and Ministry of External Affairs.

The Nurses were released from ISIS captivity in Iraq Friday and were brought to Erbil from Mosul. They were handed over to Indian Embassy officials stationed in Erbil by the Kurdish authorities.

Other Indian workers from Kirkuk and Erbil have also been brought back by the same flight. The officials of External Affairs Ministry and Kerala government are accompanying them.

Four special counters have been opened at the Kochi airport to facilitate quick immigration and customs clearance.