The UK government, on Friday, announced an additional 12 charter flights to repatriate 3,000 Britishers, stranded in India amid lockdown. UK High Commission said that 12 charter flights will rescue Britons from South India, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram.

The 12 additional flights planned next week for London will cover Amritsar on April 13, 17 and 19; Ahmedabad on April 13 and 15; Goa on April 14 and 16 with an additional one via Mumbai on April 18; Thiruvananthapuram via Kochi on April 15; Hyderabad via Ahmedabad on April 17; Kolkata via Delhi on April 19; and Chennai via Bengaluru on April 20.

The announcement comes days after the UK High Commission said seven charter flights will bring back its nationals from Mumbai, Delhi, and Goa. With this, a total of 5,000 Britishers will be taken back to their homes in 19 charter flights.

Yesterday, the first charter flight from India reached London, carrying 317 British nationals.

"Over 300 people arrived from Goa on Thursday morning, 1,400 more will arrive over the Easter weekend and these 12 flights next week will bring back thousands more," said Tariq Ahmad, UK Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

To book flights and register their details, British nationals are asked to use the city-specific webpages listed on the FCO's India Travel Advice page. The FCO added that those who are eligible to fly will be sent information on how to get to airports and flight itineraries directly when their seat is confirmed. Details regarding luggage allowance, flight costs and carriers will be available on the booking portal.

Besides India, British travellers have been repatriated from the Philippines, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nepal, Ghana, Tunisia, Algeria and Peru.