200 Indians from accident-hit cruise liner returning home

Two hundred Indian nationals, who were rescued from the ill-fated cruize ship 'Costa Concordia' which had run aground off Italy coast on Saturday, will return India by tomorrow.

"200 Indian nationals rescued from Costa Concordia will return here today and tomorrow," External Affairs Ministry officials said here tonight.

There were a total of 203 Indians were on board the ill-fated ship - one passenger and 202 crew members. Of them, 201 Indians were rescued and one is missing. After the rescue, one Indian is staying back.

The ministry has also set up help desks at the airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad, they said.

The luxury liner, Costa Concordia, was carrying more than 4,200 people, many of whom were having dinner at the restaurant when it hit a reef or rock near the Tuscan island of Giglio.

While 60 persons were injured in the incident, 15 persons, including crew and passengers, were still unaccounted for.

The Indian crew member who has decided to stay back is married to an Italian citizen.

The Indians who were employed have got their dues from their employers, the officials said adding the Indian mission has paid Euro 100 as exgratia to each of them.