New Delhi, Mar 10 (ANI): The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday informed that as 'Operation Safe Homecoming' rapidly draws towards a close tonight, some 15,400 of Indian nationals are already home from Libya, including 2400 who have returned over last evening and this morning.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian nationals came back on nine special flights, from Libya (Tripoli and Sebha), Egypt (Alexandria) and Malta. 47 air charter sorties have been undertaken since the commencement of the evacuation exercise on February 26.
"The last 262 of our nationals in Alexandria (Egypt), who had arrived by Scotia Prince from Benghazi on March 8, left by air for Mumbai at 05: 00 a.m. In all 2858 persons from Libya were transported safely through Egypt - 2161 from Benghazi (by sea to Alexandria), 527 via the Salloum land border and the remaining 170 from Djerba (Tunisia) by air through Cairo," the MEA release said.
The MEA said the Egyptian authorities have been most supportive, even allowing Indians to enter the country without visas. Egypt Air charter flights joined in the evacuation exercise.
"All 158 Indian nationals along with 9 Bangladeshi nationals, who had been evacuated from Sirte to Malta, were flown to New Delhi this morning on a chartered flight of Jet Airways," the release adds.
In the last leg of this operation, special Air India flights are heading for Tripoli (one) and Sebha (two) to ferry back the remaining Indian professionals and workers desirous of leaving Libya.
These flights are expected back late tonight and in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, INS Jalashwa docked in Tripoli harbour in the forenoon today and is helping in the evacuation of any remaining Indian nationals from Tripoli seeking to return home. (ANI)
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