Second India repatriation flight lands in Darwin with 165 people on-board

Another repatriation flight from India has arrived in Darwin, with the 165 Australians on-board to undergo two weeks of quarantine.

A second repatriation flight from India has landed in Darwin, with none of the 165 Australians prevented from boarding this time.

The Qantas flight arrived at the RAAF base on Sunday morning, with the passengers transported to the Howard Springs quarantine facility where they will remain for two weeks.

The group of Australians on the latest repatriation flight from India have arrived at the Howard Springs quarantine facility Picture Glenn Campbell

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said there were more flights to come, following an end to the federal government’s controversial India travel ban.

“New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia have indicated they will assist by receiving passengers from India,” DFAT said.

“This support from the states will significantly increase the number of facilitated commercial flights, with a total of eight flights scheduled by June 4.”

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan said he was still waiting for specifics about the flight to his state.

“I wrote to the Prime Minister to say that we were prepared to take a flight but it would have to be within our cap,” he said.

“We have a range of hotels — five or six hotels — (and) we’ll work to ensure that when a flight comes in, we’re able to accommodate that. The details obviously need to be worked out.

“Making sure that we bring people home within our cap … is what we’re about and that’s what we’ll work with the Commonwealth to achieve.”

Passengers from a repatriation flight from New Delhi. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Ashok Jagannath Kurmi, a 36-year-old social worker, sprays disinfectant liquid while dressed in a clown costume at a slum in Mumbai, India. He dresses in different costumes during his outreach to help spread official messages about COVID-19. Picture: Fariha Farooqui/Getty Images

Passengers will spend 14 days in quarantine at Howard Springs. Picture: Glenn Campbell Picture Glenn Campbell

The first flight last Saturday was forced to take off half empty after about 70 passengers either tested positive to COVID-19 or were deemed close contacts.

But the accuracy of Qantas’ screening process was called into doubt after some people later returned negative results.

The temporary ban on travel from India was introduced when the country began struggling with a deadly wave of coronavirus, with the aim of sparing Australia’s quarantine system from being overwhelmed.

There are still more than 11,000 Australians stranded in India who want to come home.