About 148 Indian school students and 38 officials left stranded in Turkey found help coming their way after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded to a video message posted by one of the athletes from Tamil Nadu and ensured they are kept safe. A Bengali film crew present on a shooting assignment in Turkey too is reported to be safe. The crew of 30-35 Indians comprises West Bengal IT Minister Bratya Basu, who is a theatre and film personality also.
Fresh from the successful evacuation of 149 Indian nationals from the war-torn South Sudan, MEA officials were quickly alerted about the presence of Indian school students and officials in Turkey.
The video message by one of the athletes, Tamil Selvi, said, “There are no problems where we are which is Trabzon. We have to go to Ankara on July 18 and then to Istanbul to board the flight to Delhi. We appeal to the Indian Government to help us return safe.” Trabzon is over 700 km far from capital Ankara.
The message said that they were in the north-eastern province of Trabzon for the 2016 World Schools Championship that began on July 11. The event is to end on July 18. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj checked up with her counterparts in Turkey and tweeted that the athletes and officials are safe and will return in batches after July 18.
The MEA was further assured to learn about the safety of the film crew. Director Birsa Dasgupta, currently filming in Istanbul, confirmed that the crew is safe and there is nothing to worry. “We had shooting yesterday. Saturday is our off day. From Sunday, we will resume shooting. We are all safe and face no problem,” he told a Bengali TV channel from Istanbul.
Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel too was quick to respond to the situation. He told the media, “I have contacted the MEA and India’s Ambassador to Turkey and they have confirmed that the 148 athletes participating in the World Games in Trabzon are safe.”
Goel simultaneously ascertained with the organisers of the event and the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) about the students’ safety. The Sports Authority of India has set up a control room with the help of SGFI, while MEA has put out helpline numbers for worried parents back home.
The MEA advised Indian nationals there to stay indoors. “India calls upon all sides 2 support democracy & mandate of the ballot, & avoid bloodshed,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.