Benghazi Airport runways destroyed as evacuations step up
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that runways at Libya's Benghazi Airport have been damaged or destroyed and will halt rescue flights from the eastern Libyan city
During a news conference, Minister Ahmed Ahboul Gheit said, “Regarding east of Libya, the Benghazi airport runways have been destroyed. It is not possible for EgyptAir flights or any other flights to land in that airport.”
Air Transport Intelligence (ATI) is quoting a spokesman for Capita Symonds, which is 18 months into a three-year project to design a redeveloped airport adjacent to the current Benghazi facility who said the UK's Foreign office had advised the company that the runway hasd been destroyed.Capita's staff had been evacuated once the local protests escalated.
Minister Gheit said that up to 1.5 million Egyptians live and work in Libya. "If Egyptians need to leave, and I always advise to stay home, then they would have to travel to Egyptian borders by land some 500 km in proximity to danger. Such trips must be in groups and in buses," the foreign minister said
In a speech on Libyan state television Col Muammar Gaddafi made a reference to Benghazi Airport, saying that "planes cannot landbecause cockroaches are surrounding the airport and trying to attack us."
UK foreign secretary William Hague told a press conference today that the UK Government is "urgently seeking landing permission from the Libyan Government" for a charter aircraft to airlift stranded British citizens out of the country. It is also beleived to be sending a warship to help in the evacuations.
Meanwhile About 3,000 Turks left Benghazi aboard two ferry boats earlier today escorted by a Turkish frigate according to the Reuters news agency.
Two French aircraft carrying French nationals returned to Paris from Tripoli and 118 Russians flew out on a transport plane wiuth more Russian movements expected this evening. Bulgaria has also arranged airlifts.
Reports in Libya say that Tripoli airport is "choked with expatriates desperate to leave".
Flight support agencies from several countries have reported delays in getting landing permission at the capital airport.
Related Content
