UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that the UK has organised a flight to help British citizens seeking to leave Lebanon.
The UK has organised a flight to help meet any additional demand British nationals and their dependants wanting to leave Lebanon
The flight is scheduled to leave Beirut on Wednesday 2 October. Any further flights in the coming days will depend on demand and the security situation on the ground.
Vulnerable British nationals will be prioritised for this flight.
The UK government has organised a commercial flight out of Lebanon to help British nationals wanting to leave following escalating violence in the region, the Foreign Secretary announced yesterday (Monday 30 September).
British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible. All passengers must hold a valid travel document. Dependents who are not British nationals will require valid visas/permission to enter or remain that was granted for more than 6 months.
The government has worked
with partners in recent weeks to increase capacity on commercial flights to enable British nationals to leave, and has now chartered a flight to provide additional capacity.
The flight is due to leave Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday 2 October.
Those who have registered their presence with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be sent details on how to request a seat. If you are a British national in Lebanon who has not already registered your presence, please do so immediately.
Vulnerable British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18, will be prioritised for this flight.
British nationals should not make their way to the airport unless they have a confirmed seat on the plane.
British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell said:
‘ In view of current capacity constraints on commercial routes, the UK has organised an additional flight to leave Lebanon on Wednesday 2 October. ‘
‘British Nationals in Lebanon who have registered their pr
esence will receive an update on how to secure a seat. ‘
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:
‘The situation in Lebanon is volatile and has potential to deteriorate quickly. The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be our utmost priority.’
‘That’s why the UK government is chartering a flight to help those wanting to leave. It is vital that you leave now as further evacuation may not be guaranteed’
UK government officials have been working non-stop in London, Beirut and the wider region to provide support to British nationals. An FCDO Rapid Deployment Team has also arrived in Lebanon to bolster the support offered by British Embassy officials.
The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be the UK government’s utmost priority and the FCDO urges everyone to continue to follow the relevant travel advice, exercise caution, and monitor media in Lebanon for developments.
The UK has been calling for a ceasefire between Hizballah and Israel for over a week and that further escalation mu
st be avoided. A ceasefire would provide the space necessary to find a political solution in line with Resolution 1701.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon