Two more Air India flight on their way to Libya to bring back stranded Indians
By ANIMonday, February 28, 2011
NEW DELHI - Two special Air India flights - AI 800 (Airbus 330) and AI 171 (Boeing 744) are on their way to Tripoli, where they arrive at mid-day today. They are likely to ferry back around 600 passengers later tonight.
All 68 Indian nationals who had crossed over to Salloum (Egypt) reached Mumbai by Gulf Air flight, GF-056 this morning.
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) has set up a help desk at the airport at Mumbai, in coordination with Government of Maharashtra and other State Governments, to render all assistance to the passengers including 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 a Gulf Air flight (GF-056) via Bahrain on Tuesday, to reach Mumbai on Wednesday March 2.
The land route to Ras Jedir (Tunisia) is being put to good use by our nationals. According to latest information, a total of 378 individuals have already crossed over from Libya to Tunisia. The Indian Embassy officials received them and assisted them with further arrangements to stay in Djerba (Tunisia).
About 100 more Indians are likely to similarly cross over to Tunisia today.
Indian officials are proceeding to Sicily (Italy) to speed up arrangements for passenger ship La Superba’s maiden journey to Benghazi (Libya).
Scotia Prince and La Superba will evacuate about 3000 Indian nationals, including 400 who have traveled across from Al Kufrah by road.
Scotia Prince is expected to reach Benghazi today and will return to Alexandria on March 2. 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 has also been proposed to be set up between Malta and India to bring the Indians home. (ANI)
