[WATCH] 251 passengers arrive on Hyundai-chartered ferry from Libya

251 passengers arrive on Hyundai-chartered ferry from Libya • Video by Chris Mangion

251 passengers have arrived in Malta on a chartered trip on a Virtu Ferries catamaran from Tripoli.

Apart from 13 crew, 25 Maltese nationals arrived onboard the catamaran.

Representatives from the South Korean embassy were also present to welcome some passengers.

Henri Saliba, one of the directors of Virtu Ferries, said the ferry was chartered by Hyundai to ferry out its employees, which include Filipino, Indian, Bangladeshi, and South Korean workers. "Virtu Ferries will be on standby over requests from companies to depart to Libya to ferry back workers," Saliba said.

The Maltese, who left Tripoli at 1pm on Saturday, did not pay for the trip following arrangements the government made with the company.

Virtu Ferries, the government said, offered to bring back the Maltese on the same ferry trip chartered by an international company to evacuate its workers in Libya. “Virtu Ferries informed the government of this development as to notify any Maltese in Libya who wanted to come back,” the ministry for foreign affairs said.

The government is also working to assist Maltese in Benghazi who want to leave the North African country. Given that a ship from Malta is being readied for the evacuation of Filipinos from strife-torn Libya, the Maltese government is trying to secure a place for Maltese nationals on this same ship.

The departure of the Maltese nationals on the chartered ferry was coordinated by the Maltese government.