The Hindu : Front Page : Second phase of evacuation from Lebanon begins

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 24, 2006

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Second phase of evacuation from Lebanon begins

Atul Aneja

DUBAI: The second phase of evacuation of Indians from Lebanon began on Sunday with INS Mumbai carrying 444 people to Larnaca, Cyprus, from the Beirut port. It left at 4 p.m. IST.

INS Mumbai was making the second trip to Beirut. It carried over 600 evacuees to Larnaca on Friday.

Over 400 people boarded INS Brahmaputra at the Beirut harbour and it headed for Larnaca at 9.30 p.m. IST.

Defence sources told The Hindu that INS Betwa could move into the port, if necessary. Also, INS Mumbai could also do another run, if there is an increase in the number of people seeking evacuation.

The sources said fuel supplies would not be a problem, as INS Shakti, a tanker, was taking care of replenishment and maintenance of the other three ships.

All those evacuated on Sunday were expected to board two Air India planes, heading for Mumbai and Chennai on Monday. India's High Commissioner to Cyprus Neelam Sabharwal told The Hindu over telephone that the second phase of evacuation was expected to be more smooth, as the "teething problems" faced during the first phase have been addressed.

PTI reports from New Delhi:

Air India flights

Air India will operate two more special flights to Larnaca on Monday to bring back those evacuated

Two Boeing 747-400s, with a total capacity of 840, will fly from Mumbai to Larnaca in the morning. Both will return the same day, an Air India spokesman told PTI from Mumbai. — PTI

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