Special flight brings home diplomats' families from Cairo

Unrest in Egypt spurs Foreign Ministry to commission plane to evacuate some Israelis; No other country has moved to evacuate diplomats.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS, JPOST.COM STAFF

JANUARY 29, 2011 18:23

EL AL Plane 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski) — EL AL Plane 311

(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)

The Foreign Ministry on Saturday commissioned a special flight to bring home the families of diplomats stationed in Cairo amidst the anti-government protests taking place in Egypt.

In addition to the family members of the diplomats, some forty other Israelis who had been residing in Egypt were brought home on the flight for fear of their safety.

Israel is the first country to evacuate citizens from Egypt.

Earlier on Saturday, an official at Cairo International Airport said that El Al was trying to arrange a special flight to take roughly 200 Israeli tourists out of Egypt.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with the media.

Foreign tourists and Egyptians began flocking to Cairo's main airport, scrambling to find flights out of the country as days of often violent protests that forced the resignation of the government show few signs of abating.

The Israeli embassy in Egypt declined to comment on the official's claim.

Between 1,500 and 2,000 travelers were at the two main departure terminals, most without reservations, trying to find flights out of the country.