The latest evacuations of Europeans underway in Libya

(B2) There are less than 800 European Union nationals currently on Libyan territory according to information received at 'B2'. And there should be even fewer left in 12 or 36 hours.

By air, Tripoli airport (as long as it operates) serves as the meeting point. Several planes are at the moment or should land there in the next few hours, according to our information: a Hungarian plane (from the regular company Malev), a Romanian plane (from the army C27J Spartan), a bulgarian plane (the government Airbus A319) as well as a Ukrainian plane (to be confirmed). While Egyptair is making around XNUMX flights today and tomorrow (according to the blog Airline route). Note that Benghazi airport was not bombed as claimed in the previous days. Simply it is rendered unusable by many trucks which are on the tracks.

At sea, Benghazi serves as the base: the Royal Navy ship HMS Cumberland is making a new rotation towards Benghazi at this time where it hopes to bring back around 700 people (NB: it was supposed to be the turn of the French frigate Tourville to set sail but it was held up at the last moment). In addition to the Greek ferries that shuttle between Benghazi and Crete, two other ferries are expected (Russian and Algerian). four Turkish ferries are also mobilized and should arrive and leave, Monday 28, in Libya: two in Tripoli, one in Ras Lanouf and another in Misratah.

The difficulty, now, it is estimated for the European Union's "Evacuations" crisis unit, will be to recover people who are isolated or scattered throughout the territory.

(updated 16 p.m.) The Europeans have engaged in the evacuation operation at least 21 official planes (military or government) and 14 ships. Some are responsible for the surveillance of Libyan waters or the protection of civilian ferries.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)