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Syria-Lebanon-Iran | ||
U.S. Ramps Up Evacuations From Lebanon | ||
2006-07-20 | ||
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - The United States ramped up its evacuation of citizens from Lebanon on after a slow start as a luxury cruise ship carrying 1,000 Americans arrived in Cyprus early Thursday, a week after the Israeli bombardment began. The Orient Queen reached Cyprus' port of Larnaca after a nine-hour journey, completing the first in a massive relay to evacuate thousands of U.S. citizens from war-ton Lebanon. The eight-deck cruise liner's voyage was the first mass U.S. exodus from Lebanon since Israeli airstrikes started more than a week ago. The Orient Queen was just one among dozens of cruise ships taking part in the evacuation of thousands of foreigners from Lebanon. The Americans departed two days after the first Europeans left on ships, and thousands more Europeans continued to stream out by sea Wednesday. Amid complaints the U.S. effort had lagged, American officials made clear that fears about Americans traveling on roads in Beirut, especially at night, and on roads to Syria had led to some of the delays. The U.S. ambassador said Tuesday that an orderly and safe evacuation had been a first priority.
Around 8,000 of the 25,000 Americans in Lebanon have asked to be evacuated. Military helicopters flew 200 Americans from the hilltop U.S. Embassy to Larnaca. Chinook helicopters were taking over the task, capable of carrying 60 people each, twice as many as the Sea Stallions that have been ferrying out Americans since Sunday. A Navy task force of nine ships, seven of which were en route late Wednesday, will help with the evacuation. Two more passenger ships chartered by the Navy - the Rahman and the Vittoria M - were due to arrive on Friday, giving U.S. authorities the ability to take a total of 2,700 passengers daily, according to the Navy's Sealift Command spokesman Tim Boulay. He said they were seeking more ships. | ||
Posted by:Steve White |
#1 I'm sure we'll hear more choice whining from the evacuees as they return home. |
Posted by: eLarson 2006-07-20 15:38 |