Ferry sails out to evacuate Russians from Libya

MOSCOW, February 25 (Itar-Tass) -- A chartered ferry sailed out
overnight from the Italian port of Bari bound for Libyan oil terminal Ras Lanuf to evacuate Russian and foreign nationals from there.
The St. Stephen ferry sailed out from the port of Bar in Montenegro on Wednesday and stopped for refueling in Bari where it was stranded by a 10-force storm.
"Proceeding from security concerns the ferry is the only means of
evacuation from Ras Lanuf," a spokesman of the Russian emergencies
ministry said, adding the St. Stephen sailed out of Bari after midnight.
Deputy Emergencies Minister Pavel Popov estimated 1083 people,
including Russian and foreign employees of Russian companies, are awaiting evacuation in Sirte and Ras Lanuf. In Sirte there are 118 people, including 31 Russian nationals. Two aircraft landed in the city overnight to evacuate them.
On Wednesday Russian aircraft evacuated 339 people from Tripoli to
Moscow.

Russia continues evacuation from Libya.

Meanwhile Two Russian Il-76 aircraft of the emergencies ministry landed in the Libyan city of Sirte overnight to evacuate Russian and foreign nationals from the North African country.
The emergencies ministry said 118 people are awaiting evacuation in Muammar Gaddafi's desert home town of Sirte, including 31 Russian
nationals.
"We sent two aircraft to Sirte as there could be our neighbors from CIS countries and other foreigners employed by Russian companies," a ministry spokesman said.
The first aircraft will fly from Sirte to Moscow while the second one will land in Istanbul to deliver Turkish citizens employed by Russian companies home.
Russians and foreigners employed by Russian companies in Libya will be evacuated from the oil terminal in Ras Lanuf by ferry.
On Wednesday Russian aircraft evacuated 339 people from Tripoli to
Moscow.