'No decision yet' on evacuation of Maltese from Tripoli

Workers flown to Malta from Libya by two French Puma Helicopters • Video by Ray Attard

Two civilian Puma helicopters and a small Air Libya aircraft carrying a total of 10 passengers landed in Malta after allegedly leaving the military airport of Mitiga, Libya.

MaltaToday is informed that nine of the passengers are French, while a tenth is Maltese. Sources said “the group of workers” left Tripoli to escape the heavy fighting in the capital.

Sources close to the aviation industry said the aircrafts flew out of Libya “even though Libyan authorities have closed the airspace”.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs was not in a position to confirm information related to the arrival of these aircrafts from Libya. The aircrafts landed in Malta at around 3pm.

It has meanwhile confirmed the Maltese government, through its representation in Libya, is in constant contact with the Maltese to offer any assistance they may require.

“No decision for evacuation has been taken,” a spokeswoman said.

The Air Libya aircraft landed 35 minutes after the arrival of the helicopters.

It is yet unclear whether Malta will be assisting in a medical evacuation.

Several rockets hit Tripoli earlier today, where fighting between rival armed groups has been raging since Sunday.

Several Grad rocket struck the airport late on Monday, destroying 90% of the planes parked there, including a $250 million Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330.

In addition to the closure of Tripoli airport, Misrata city airport was also shut on Monday. This, along with the closure two months ago of Benghazi airport, leaves the country with only a land route to Tunisia.

The Tripoli air control centre covering western Libya was closed because it was not safe for staff to go to work, aviation officials and state news agency Lana said on Monday.