Air India's second special flight AI- 1947 suspended midway after Ukraine shuts airspace

Air India's second flight AI-1947 which had left for Kyiv from New Delhi to evacuate stranded Indians from the country is suspended mid-way after Ukraine shut its civilian airspace citing potential threats.

For the unversed, the Boeing Dreamliner AI-1947 flight from Delhi had taken off earlier as part of the special operation for Ukraine. It has a capacity of over 200 seats.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian government had announced closing airports in eastern part of the country from midnight through 7AM owing to the confrontation with Russia.

Ukrainian aviation authorities also have declared some airspace in the east to be danger areas because of attempts by Russian aviation authorities to seize control of the airspace. Notably, Ukraine acted after Russia issued a ban on civilian air traffic in the airspace over eastern Ukraine.

Concerned over the escalating tension along the border of Ukraine with Russia, India on Tuesday strongly emphasized in the special meeting of the Security Council of the United Nations the need for all sides to exercise the utmost restraint and intensify diplomatic efforts to ensure a mutually amicable solution.