ChemistryEquipment: PM vows to rescue Libya Britons

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

PM vows to rescue Libya Britons

People waiting to catch flights out of Tripoli airport

Many flights to Libya have been cancelled, making it harder for those wanting to leave to get out

The UK is working "flat out" to get British nationals out of Libya as soon as possible, David Cameron has said.

The prime minister said the situation in Libya was "very dangerous" and the UK's "first priority" was to help the more than 300 Britons stranded there.

A special charter plane is being sent to Tripoli while the UK has deployed a frigate to international waters off Libya in case searborne help is needed.

But Labour have accused the government of being "slow off the mark".

There are fears of further violence after Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi said enemies of Libya would be executed and vowed to fight to his "last drop of blood" rather than leave the country.

Most of the 3,500 Britons who were living in Libya before the crisis are thought to have already left but some are having difficulty getting out and a number are stranded at Tripoli airport with no immediate flights out.

The Foreign Office said a specially-chartered plane being dispatched to Libya to pick up British nationals was due to arrive in Tripoli on either Wednesday or Thursday.

FOREIGN OFFICE HELPLINEUK nationals in Libya wishing to get on the charter flight are advised to call the following numbers020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 3403644/45.Governments plan Libya evacuation

It advised UK nationals wishing to register an interest in the charter flight should call the following numbers: 020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 3403644/45.

Speaking in Qatar, Mr Cameron said diplomats were "working round the clock" to help British nationals out of what was a "very dangerous situation"

"My government is taking every step it can reach British nationals to make sure they can come out and come home," he said. "That has to be our first priority."

But British oil workers stranded in the desert more than two hours from Tripoli have criticised the UK government's speed of response.

"We are living every day in fear of our lives," James Coyle told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "At the end of the day, we are living a nightmare here."

He said the workers had contacted British officials to warn them about the situation but nothing had happened.

"We have asked the British government to come here for days now and they are just totally ignoring us. They don't reply to e-mails, they have cut off the phones to Tripoli. When we told them of the situation three days ago they never even got back to us. Basically we have been left without any protection whatsoever."

Mr Coyle said there was no means of escape as all the vehicles had been looted and local people were heavily-armed. He also said the camp - where 300 expatriate workers are based - only had about a day's food left.

"We are here desperate for the British government to come and get us. We need to leave here - today."

The UK has said it was "urgently" seeking permissions from the Libyan government" for the charter plane to land and the BBC's Political Correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said that, despite the difficulties involved, there was mounting pressure to get British nationals out.

British Airways and British Midland International have cancelled flights in and out of Tripoli for the past two days. BA will not operate its daily service on Thursday and BMI said it will make a decision on this later.

“William Hague should explain why the government appears to have been slow off the mark when other countries have already repatriated a large number of their citizens”

Douglas Alexander Shadow Foreign Secretary

The Foreign Office said the safety of British nationals in Libya was "of paramount concern" and it was urging Britons to stay where they are if they believed they were safe.

"We are doing all we can to help them, including those in camps," it said. "We are continuing to work up contingency plans to deal with what is a very difficult, testing and fluid situation. We recognise the genuine and real distress of those who are in camps in the desert, not least since it is difficult to travel to Tripoli.

But Labour have suggested the government's response has not been as quick as it should have been.

"I welcome the deployment of HMS Cumberland and the sending of a charter plane to Libya to help British nationals there," said Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander.

"But it is concerning that it is only getting underway now as reports suggest some airports are already badly damaged and there have been air space closures.

"(Foreign Secretary) William Hague should explain why the government appears to have been slow off the mark when other countries have already repatriated a large number of their citizens."

Tens of thousands of foreigners are trying to leave the country by land and air and many oil companies are attempting to remove their expatriate staff.

Italy, Greece and the Netherlands are sending transport planes to Libya to get their citizens out while Austria and Portugal have already done so.

This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.