New Delhi set in motion on Tuesday the procedures for a quick and safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from Libya after an Indian lost his life in a road accident while attempting to flee violence-hit Libya for Egypt.
There are about 18,000 Indian nationals in Libya, most of whom are working in the health, construction and oil sectors. India, which kept a close watch through the day on the situation in Libya, deplored the use of force by the Libyan security forces.
“It is totally unacceptable and must not be resorted to. It is earnestly hoped that calm is restored at the earliest without any further violence,” the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said India was waiting for approval from the Libyan authorities for air and sea evacuation.
The Tripoli international airport was reported to be functionally normally on Tuesday, but Egypt’s foreign minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit was quoted in some media reports as saying that the runways at the Benghazi airport had been destroyed in the violence and passenger planes could not land there.
Consequently, Ms Rao indicated that Tripoli will be the preferred evacuation point for India, and Benghazi will be considered only if conditions permit access by Indian aircraft and ships.
India and other nations wanting to evacuate their respective nationals could also consider a convenient land route. Ms Rao indicated as much in a message posted on her Twitter account.
“Road route into Egypt from Benghazi is also an option depending on the security conditions. Some Egyptians have used this route,” she said. Benghazi is Libya’s second largest city.
Air India was put on alert to be able to fly its aircraft to Libya by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Government sources said merchant naval ships had also been sounded out for a possible evacuation, should the situation so warrant. “Libyan airspace is perceived as dangerous right now and the government is working on permission for Air India aircraft to enter Libyan airspace and land at the airports there,” the sources said. There are reports that Libyan fighter aircraft are being used by the Libyan government to bomb protesters. Therefore, the Indian government clearly does not want to take any chances.
The sources also said that it was up to the Indian government to suggest whether Air India should operate unscheduled commercial flights or operate flights paid for by the government itself. Air India had recently operated unscheduled commercial flights to Egypt in the wake of the political unrest there. Many panic-stricken Indians had paid commercial airfares to return on Air India aircraft from Egypt. The MEA clarified that the deceased Indian national, identified as one Murugaiah, lost his life due to injuries sustained in a car accident, and not in firing on protesters as claimed by his family.