Five Air India pilots test positive for coronavirus

Five Air India pilots test positive for coronavirus
File photo: IANS

Mumbai: Five pilots of Air India have tested positive for coronavirus, airline sources said on Sunday. The pilots had reportedly operated cargo flights from China in April.

Air India, which is operating flights to evacuate Indians stranded in foreign countries, have asked its pilots to undertake coronavirus tests before they operate such flights, the sources said.

"Five Air India pilots have tested positive for coronavirus. These pilots were tested one after one. We suspect it could be a case of faulty testing kit as well," news agency PTI said quoting one of the sources.

The five pilots fly Boeing 787 planes, the second source said.

Air India spokesperson did not offer any comment.

A senior airline official said the five pilots had not operated any flight in the last three weeks.

"These pilots had operated cargo flights to China prior to April 20," the official said.

The personnel underwent the test as it was made mandatory by the national carrier since they began special services for a massive repatriation mission this week. As many as 64 flights are being operated by Air India and Air India Express as part of 'Vande Bharat Mission' to bring back Indians stranded in different countries in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 2,109 and the number of cases climbed to 62,939 in the country on Sunday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

(With PTI inputs)

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