Two Air India aircraft, a Boeing 747 and Airbus 330, today left Mumbai and New Delhi for Tripoli this morning to bring back Indian citizens. The two aircraft have a total passenger capacity of 640 and they are expected to return late this evening. According to the External Affairs Ministry, Indian Embassy officials in Tripoli are in touch with Indian community associations and will be at the airport to facilitate the departure of the Indian citizens. Meanwhile, the passenger ship Scotia Prince is expected to dock at Benghazi in Libya on Monday and bring back over 1200 passengers to Alexandria on Wednesday after that Air India flights will fly them to India. Arrangements are being made for the travel of around 150 Indian nationals from the Tobruk as well. Two Indian Navy vessels are expected to leave Mumbai shortly for Libya, to assist in the on going evacuation operations. An Indian Air Force IL 76 aircraft is also on standby to meet additional transportation requirements wherever needed. The Indian embassies in Tripoli, Cairo and Tunis are working round the clock and the Government is doing its best to assist in the safe return of Indian nationals at the earliest. Meanwhile, the government has clarified that no payment or charge of any kind is being levied by the government, for the evacuation and assisted departure of any Indian national in Libya. The clarification was made after it came to notice that some unscrupulous elements are asking for payments, handling charges and facilitation fee for arranging evacuation of Indian nationals, through the Embassy of India in Libya.
News On AIR | February 26, 2011 2:02 PM
Two AI flights leave for Tripoli to evacuate Indians from Libya