An additional flight with a Lebanese airline is being planned for late Friday night, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Theodoros Gotsis, told CNA regarding the repatriation of Cypriots and their family members.
Asked by CNA about the transfer of Cypriots and foreign nationals from Lebanon, Gotsis said that an additional flight with Middle East Airlines was being planned for late Friday for Cypriot citizens and their family members who hold a Republic permanent residence permit.
He also said that Cyprus has so far received requests from two countries for the “Estia” national plan for the reception and repatriation of foreign citizens from an area in crisis. One of the two countries is China, he noted, which involved the arrival by sea earlier this week of about 80 people. According to Gotsis, almost everyone has left Cyprus except for a small number of people who were holders of relevant visas, while a few more arrivals were expected. He noted that this request was ‘active’.
Gotsis said that there hav
e also been four requests for assisted departure, including a request from Portugal involving 44 European citizens.
Asked about reports about the arrival in Cyprus of soldiers from Belgium, Gotsis said that any mobility of forces from various countries was solely in case assistance was needed for the mass evacuation of civilians.
Flights to and from Tel Aviv continue, arrivals at Cyprus marinas
————
In the meantime, flights of Israeli airlines between Tel Aviv and Larnaca airports continued on Friday, as well as arrivals from Lebanon at the Larnaca and Ayia Napa marinas.
As per the information CNA has obtained from Hermes Airports, nine flight arrivals at Larnaca Airport from Tel Aviv were scheduled for Friday as well as nine departures to Israel, mainly operated by Israeli airlines that are trying to make as many flights as possible.
Meanwhile, a boat from Lebanon arrived at the Larnaca marina Thursday night, carrying 21 people, Europeans and third country nationals, as well as diplomatic and a
dministrative staff of embassies.
On Thursday noon, a boat with three people on board arrived at the Larnaca marina also from Lebanon.
Boats from Lebanon continue to arrive at the Ayia Napa marina daily, carrying European citizens and diplomatic and administrative staff of embassies.
Source: Cyprus News Agency