Countries ramp up preparations in Larnaca to remove citizens from Lebanon

Governments on Thursday were ramping up their preparations to assist their citizens in Lebanon who wished to depart the country.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Thursday that her country’s government had secured a total of 80 seats on flights out of Lebanon, and an additional 500 seats on flights out of Cyprus on Saturday.

She said there are around 1,700 Australians and immediate family members in Lebanon who have registered their intention to leave the country with her ministry, with around 15,000 Australians in total living in the country.

Wong was also quick to note that the operation of the flights out of Lebanon will be “subject to the security situation” and whether Beirut airport will remain open, and she urged Australian nationals in Lebanon to leave the country as the political situation continues to deteriorate.

Reuters on Thursday reported that Australia has flown a military aircraft to Cyprus as part of its contingency plan should an evacuation become necessary and should commercial flights cease.

Other countries have also positioned military transport aircraft in Cyprus with a view to assisting their citizens who wish to depart from Lebanon.

Portugal, for example, landed a Lockheed C-130 military transport in Larnaca, before using it to facilitate assisted departure operations for around 44 Portuguese nationals living in Lebanon on Friday and Saturday.

The aircraft flew from Beirut to Larnaca and then onwards to Portugal with the Portuguese nationals on board.

Earlier, the Canadian government had announced it had reserved a total of 800 seats aboard commercial flights to help its nationals leave Lebanon, while Lebanese newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour reported that the Canadian army had set up “emergency resources” in Cyprus for the eventuality that commercial flights are disrupted.