528 Indians back home; many still waiting in Libya

New Delhi, Feb 27: After having a mere nightmares, the stranded Indians in Libya, finally, returned home. A new batch of 237 completing 528 reached the national capital in the early morning on Sunday, Feb 27. Two Air India flights became life saviours for them. Though several more Indians in Central Libya still are experiencing the impasses in Libya.

The first batch of 291 people from Tripoli landed in New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in the late night on Saturday, Feb 26. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Minister of State for External Affairs E Aahmed received the people who have returned home.

Several arrangements have been made for the traumatised people in the IGI airports. Doctors are available to counsel the evacuees. Sources also assured, "The ministry has made all arrangements for passengers.... You need not spend a single paisa."

One of the passengers of on arriving New Delhi, stated, "The trouble was mainly outside Tripoli. We were not involved in the trouble but feared it could affect us in Tripoli in the near future."

Sources confirmed that the total number of Indians in Libya is estimated to be 18,000. Now, more than 500 people are lucky enough to escape the civil war-like situation in the North African country. Though many still are waiting to get away from the country as soon as possible.

External Ministry officials announced that two Air India planes are expected to land in Tripoli every day from Saturday, Feb 26 for the next 10 days. The two planes have the capacity of 640 passengers and as Tripoli itself has 8,000 Indians, more facilities are needed to evacuate them.

The passenger ship chartered by India will be docking at Benghazi in Libya to bring 1,200 Indians back. The ships are also carrying helicopters and a contingent of marine Special Forces personnel.

However, the tensed situation in Libya is deteriorating day by day after United Nations Security Council (UNSC) voted unanimously to impose military and financial sanctions against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his inner circle.

OneIndia News