More evacuation flights will be sent to Libya as the government faced growing criticism of the handling of the crisis.
Five flights with more than 350 Britons on board left Tripoli over the course of yesterday including an airlift by an RAF Hercules to Malta. Royal Nay ship HMS Cumberland is rescuing people from Benghazi to take them to Valetta in Malta.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London said it took more than 1,000 calls from British nationals yesterday wanting to leave Libya. Less than 500 Britons are reported to still waiting to be rescued from the crisis-torn country as prime minister David Cameron chaired a meeting of the national security council this morning.
The FCO said today: “A charter plane is arriving in Tripoli today to allow the departure of all British nationals. More planes will be sent as necessary. A second Hercules C-130 is deploying to Malta ready to assist as required.”
Defence secretary Liam Fox said yesterday: “The Ministry of Defence has had a range of assets in the Eastern Mediterranean region for the last 24 hours, including HMS Cumberland, which is now alongside in Benghazi preparing to evacuate British nationals.”
He added that the government was “confident we have the necessary capabilities in place to support the ongoing civilian and commercial efforts to help Britons in need of assistance”.
Yesterday Cameron apologised to British nationals who had been stranded for days in the increasingly chaotic and dangerous north African state after the UK government’s response to the crisis was criticised for being too slow.