C 27 J SPARTAN aircraft flies from La Valetta Airport in Malta to Libya on Friday, February 25, for another group of Romanian and foreign citizens waiting to be evacuated from the Tripoli Airport. Following the activation of the EU monitoring and information mechanism for civil protection with a view to assisting European citizens in Libya, in the spirit of cooperation and solidarity with EU states, the Minister of National Defence Gabriel Oprea, approved that Romanian military aircraft allow foreign citizens onboard along Romanian ones.

C-130 HERCULES returns to Malta today for a second mission and is on standby for any emergency, in accordance with the flights established by the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The aircraft took off from the 90th Airlift Flotilla in Otopeni, Romania at about 13.30 hrs., heading for La Valetta Airport.

The first mission ended successfully this morning when C-130 HERCULES landed on the Henri Coanda International Airport at 05.45 hrs.

On the first transport, the Romanian aircraft evacuated 56 persons among which seven children and ten foreign citizens, Bulgarian and a Libyan one, who is a Romanian resident.

The defence minister is permanently updated on the situation, while all structures in the defence ministry with responsibilities in the field take necessary steps so that all Romanian citizens should be evacuated if they requested it from the competent authorities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of National Defence will keep public opinion informed on the flights made by the military aircraft conducting this mission.

MoND Press Office