India to evacuate Lankans in Libya

26 February 2011 04:41 am

India has agreed to facilitate the evacuation of some 1200 stranded Sri Lankan citizens in violence hit-Libya, the Hindustan Times reported quoting an official.

The Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi has been asked to contact the relevant Indian authorities to explore the possibility of accommodating Lankans on the ships that India were sending to get its citizens out, foreign ministry sources said on Friday.

More than 200 Lankans have taken refuge in Sri Lankan’s new embassy in Tripoli after they found themselves trapped in the spreading violence.
Sources said logistics were being worked out about sending a chartered flight to evacuate 498 Lankans who made a request through the embassy.

``We are making an assessment of all the alternatives available to us (to move out Lankans). We are also making enquiries about commercial flights that could bring back our citizens. We are in touch with various friendly countries,’’ foreign ministry sources said.