A GOVERNMENT-CHARTERED evacuation flight carrying Australians who have fled strife-torn Egypt has arrived in Germany half-empty.
The Qantas 747 jumbo, with a capacity to carry 412 passengers, left Cairo at 5.40pm local time and has touched down at Frankfurt about 8.40pm local time (6.40am AEDT), carrying 191 people, "mostly Australian but also three New Zealanders", a consular statement issued at the airport said.
"All Australians who wished to board the flight were able to do so."
On Tuesday Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said the flight was full, putting pressure on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to schedule a second evacuation flight which has been confirmed for today.
"DFAT is working to contact those who registered to confirm if they still require seats on the second charter aircraft," the statement said.
Passengers yesterday's flight included 40 children and six infants, along with three people who required medical assistance, officials said.
The condition of those passengers and what treatment they required has not been made available.
Once landed, the passengers were met by Australian consular officials. Some will transit immediately to other international flights, while about 40 have accepted accommodation - at their own expense - in Frankfurt arranged by the embassy.
DFAT confirmed that 44 other Australians have left Cairo on Canadian charter flights, with a further nine due to fly from Alexandria to Amman today.
A consular official is due to speak at Frankfurt airport as the passengers pass through customs.
They left behind the turmoil of Cairo, where yesterday partisans of President Hosni Mubarak clashed with anti-regime protesters in the central city. Witnesses said the two groups threw stones at each other and gun shots were fired, leaving at least 500 people hurt and one killed.
Read more Aviation News http://news.com.au
View Model Aircraft
No comments:
Post a Comment