Source in the External Affairs Ministry said that the ship ‘MV Red Star’ has reached the Libyan coast and will sail to Malta with 400 passengers. Arrangements are also being made fly them to India in two chartered flights.
In a statement in the Rajya Sabha earlier this week, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Praneet Kaur has said, all Indians, stranded in Libya will be evacuated by Thursday. However, she said, there is no cut-off date for completion of evacuation process from Libya.
On the issue of protecting properties of Indians in Libya, Ms Kaur said, it was the duty of the host country and India will take up the matter with the government at an appropriate time.
Meanwhile Indian embassy in Cairo is also making efforts to evacuate Indians stranded there for the second consecutive week.
A chartered ship Scotia Prince carrying 1,188 Indian nationals from Bengazi, second biggest Libyan city, docked at Alexandria port in Egypt on 2nd March.
They were immediately flown to India through five chartered aircrafts. Scotia Prince has again set sail for Bengazi for a second evacuation of about 1,146 Indian nationals on 3rd March and is expected to arrive in Alexandria back on 7th March.
Arrangements for their return to India have already been made. As of Sunday, 467 Indian nationals have also been assisted at the Saloum border post between Egypt and Libya.