Government to evacuate Australians in Egypt

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This was published 13 years ago

Government to evacuate Australians in Egypt

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Australians trapped in Egypt can evacuate aboard a government-chartered Qantas flight on Wednesday.

Ms Gillard said the Qantas charter would leave Cairo on Wednesday and be free to Australians who take up the offer to get on.

She said as a result of Australian travel advice to leave Egypt many Australians had organised their own flight arrangements on commercial flights.

‘‘Cairo airport is still operational and commercial flights are leaving Cairo airport,’’ she told reporters in Canberra.

There was significant pressure on commercial flights out of the country, the Prime Minister said.

Ms Gillard said the flight would return to either London or Frankfurt.

‘‘Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be available to meet people who come off the flight to assist them with making their further arrangements for where they wish to travel to next,’’ Ms Gillard said.

Ms Gillard said DFAT would help Australians that are evacuated from Egypt.

‘‘Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be available to assist people and to provide assistance in cases of particular hardship for Australians that need assistance to move from either Frankfurt airport or London airport,’’ she said.

‘‘My highest priority is the safety of Australians.

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‘‘Australians will have seen the circumstances in Egypt and in Cairo, and would have recognised the dangers that are there.’’

Ms Gillard said 1100 Australians were registered with the Australian embassy in Cairo, although it was likely there were more in Egypt.

She said the aircraft was a Boeing 747 jumbo jet chartered by the government on Monday in Europe.Depending on configuration, the jumbo jet can carry more than 400 passengers.‘‘We are very concerned. We wouldn’t be taking these steps if we weren’t concerned,’’ she said.

‘‘The highest travel advice we can give Australians is those very plain and simple words - do not travel.’’ Ms Gillard said she was conscious that it was morning in Egypt and there were a number of Australians trying to work out their travel arrangements.

She said people in Egypt can contact the Australian Embassy there by phoning 202 2575 0444.

Australians overseas who want to ring the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade consular emergency centre in Australia should ring 61 2 6261 3305.

People inside Australia who want to contact the department on behalf of family and friends should ring 02 6261 3305.Australian officials would stay in Egypt for now, Ms Gillard said.

‘‘We are going to monitor this closely, day by day, indeed hour by hour and if we think any further action is required then we’ll take it and we’ll certainly advise people of it publicly,’’ she said.

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Staff at the Cairo embassy would continue to be able to assist Australians in Egypt and to answer their calls either there or in Australia.

AAP

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