By TCN News,
New Delhi: With the Government of India intensifying the Operation ‘Safe Homecoming’ from Libya, the second batch of 600 Indians will reach New Delhi tonight. The first batch of 680 countrymen reached India on Sunday 27th Feb. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, two special Air India flights – AI 800 (Airbus 330) and AI 171 (Boeing 744) are on their way to Tripoli. They are likely to ferry back around 600 passengers late tonight.
All 68 Indian nationals who had crossed over to Salloum (Egypt) reached Mumbai by GF-056 this morning. A help desk at the airport at Mumbai, has been set up by Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) in coordination with Government of Maharashtra and other State Governments, to render all assistance to the passengers including for further travel to their hometowns.
Another 82 Indians crossed over to Salloum late last evening. They are also being taken to Cairo and expected to leave by Gulf Air flight (GF-056) via Bahrain on Tuesday, so as to reach Mumbai on Wednesday 2nd March at 0505 hours.
The land route to Ras Jedir (Tunisia) is being put to good use by Indians. According to latest information, a total of 378 individuals have already crossed over from Libya. The Embassy of India officials received them and assisted with their onward movement to and stay at Djerba (Tunisia). A special Air India flight is proposed to be pressed into service to fly them back to India. Another 100 persons are likely to similarly cross over today.
“Indian officials are proceeding to Sicily (Italy) to speed up arrangements for passenger ship La Superba’s maiden journey to Benghazi (Libya). Up to 3000 Indian nationals, including 400 who have travelled across from Al Kufrah by road, will be evacuated by Scotia Prince and La Superba,” said the MEA communication.
Scotia Prince is expected to reach Benghazi at 1500 hours (local time) today and will return to Alexandria on 2nd March. Meanwhile Ambassador Rajiva Misra has reached Malta to set up yet another base camp for organizing sea shuttles between Libya and Malta. An air bridge is also proposed to be set up between Malta and India to bring our nationals home.