Air India, Vistara alter routes over Middle East crisis, Israel on full alert

Air India, Vistara alter routes over Middle East crisis, Israel on full alert

Air India and Vistara announced on Saturday that they will operate on alternate flight routes due to the tension in the Middle East. The duration for the flights to and from India will likely increase as the two airlines change the route of some of flights.

The rising tensions between Iran and Israel have led to a tense situation in the Middle East. Several nations, including India, have issued travel advisories for their citizens.Â

On Saturday, Iran seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel had at least 17 Indians on board.

Here are the top developments

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  Amid the heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, Vistara said it will make changes to the paths of some of its flights. A spokesperson for the airline said contingency routes, which were kept available to ensure operational continuity during such eventualities, will be used instead. “This may result in longer flight times on certain routes and associated delays,” added the spokesperson.Â

  A similar announcement was made by Air India, which said its flights will operate on alternate routes to and from India. The airline said it is closely monitoring the developing situation in the Middle East.Â

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  Dutch airline KLM also announced that it will no longer fly over Israel and Iran as precaution. However, it will continue flying to Tel Aviv.

  The Dutch embassy in Tehran also remained closed on Sunday due to the rising tensions between Israel and Iran. The Dutch Foreign Ministry said it would decide whether the embassy would reopen on Monday.

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  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Saturday seized an Israeli-linked cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The ship was taken into Iranian waters after a Guards helicopter boarded it, according to a report by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. The ship had at least 17 Indians on board. India is in touch with Iran to ensure the welfare and early release of those on board the ship, the report added.

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  The last west European airline flying to Iran, Austrian Airlines, also announced that it was suspending all flights from Vienna to Tehran until April 18. The airline said it will modify the routes for its flights that pass through Iranian airspace. Austria’s foreign ministry on Friday asked its citizens to leave Iran.

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  Anticipating Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel, several countries have warned their citizens against travelling to the region. After India, France, Russia, Poland, Germany and the UK, Canada also warned its citizens to avoid all travel to Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

  Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the Iranian embassy in Syria’s Damascus was destroyed in a strike. Iran blamed Israel for the strike that killed one of its top military commanders and six officers. Israel, however, has denied its hand in the April 1 attack on Iran consulate.

  On Saturday, External Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he spoke to his UK counterpart David Cameron and discussed the ongoing situation between Iran and Israel.