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| Egypt: 181 Britons leave on chartered flight | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Some 181 people have left Egypt on a Foreign Office-chartered flight from Cairo to London, with a second being arranged. | |
| The flight departed at 1715 GMT on Thursday, after some delays due to disrupted airport operations as pro- and anti-government protests continue. | |
| A second charter flight is scheduled to leave Cairo on Saturday. | A second charter flight is scheduled to leave Cairo on Saturday. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron has called for the violence to stop and for Egypt to make a rapid move to democracy. | Prime Minister David Cameron has called for the violence to stop and for Egypt to make a rapid move to democracy. |
| The 220-seat chartered flight, which left Gatwick about midday on Wednesday, was intended to provide extra capacity to allow Britons to leave Egypt. | |
| It was not intended to replace commercial flights, and people with booked seats on other flights are advised not to cancel their bookings. | It was not intended to replace commercial flights, and people with booked seats on other flights are advised not to cancel their bookings. |
| A spokesman for the charter operator earlier blamed the delay in departure on the "chaotic situation" with long queues at Cairo airport. | |
| The Foreign Office said a second plane was on standby for Saturday because of the "continuing fluidity and unpredictability of the situation". | The Foreign Office said a second plane was on standby for Saturday because of the "continuing fluidity and unpredictability of the situation". |
| So far, 30 people have requested seats on this additional flight. | So far, 30 people have requested seats on this additional flight. |
| On Wednesday, Downing Street defended the £300 ticket price. | On Wednesday, Downing Street defended the £300 ticket price. |
| "It's very important that we maintain commercial flights in and out of Egypt, so we don't want to be in a position where we are providing flights at no cost, because that would undercut commercial airlines," a spokesman said. | "It's very important that we maintain commercial flights in and out of Egypt, so we don't want to be in a position where we are providing flights at no cost, because that would undercut commercial airlines," a spokesman said. |
| About six Foreign Office-organised buses have delivered around 200 British citizens for a special evacuation flight back to London. | About six Foreign Office-organised buses have delivered around 200 British citizens for a special evacuation flight back to London. |
| There were a mix of a few holiday makers, some British-Egyptians who were resident in Cairo or visiting families and some expats who were working or studying in Egypt. | There were a mix of a few holiday makers, some British-Egyptians who were resident in Cairo or visiting families and some expats who were working or studying in Egypt. |
| Foreign Office officials in fluorescent jackets shepherded them inside under the watch of Egyptian police. | Foreign Office officials in fluorescent jackets shepherded them inside under the watch of Egyptian police. |
| They were not too alarmed, but were relieved to be leaving after a worrying couple of days. They should be back in the UK by this evening. | They were not too alarmed, but were relieved to be leaving after a worrying couple of days. They should be back in the UK by this evening. |
| The FO travel advice has remained the same since the weekend, with Britons warned to obey the curfew in place across Egypt between 1700 and 0800 local time. | The FO travel advice has remained the same since the weekend, with Britons warned to obey the curfew in place across Egypt between 1700 and 0800 local time. |
| All Britons have been advised to leave Cairo unless they have a pressing reason to stay. Non-essential travel to Alexandria, Suez and Luxor was not advised. | All Britons have been advised to leave Cairo unless they have a pressing reason to stay. Non-essential travel to Alexandria, Suez and Luxor was not advised. |
| There have been violent clashes in Cairo between supporters and opponents of the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak. | There have been violent clashes in Cairo between supporters and opponents of the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak. |
| The two sides fought running battles on Wednesday, throwing stones and petrol bombs at each other, and fighting with sticks and iron bars. Officials say three people were killed and more than 600 injured. | The two sides fought running battles on Wednesday, throwing stones and petrol bombs at each other, and fighting with sticks and iron bars. Officials say three people were killed and more than 600 injured. |
| On Tuesday President Mubarak announced that he would not stand as a candidate in the September elections, ending his 30-year rule, but public pressure continues on him to step aside immediately. | On Tuesday President Mubarak announced that he would not stand as a candidate in the September elections, ending his 30-year rule, but public pressure continues on him to step aside immediately. |
| Utmost concern | Utmost concern |
| About 3,000 Britons were in the capital, and 300 in Alexandria, while 30,000 were in Red Sea resorts which remained "calm", Mr Cameron told MPs on Wednesday. He said 1,000 Britons had left the country in the previous 48 hours. | About 3,000 Britons were in the capital, and 300 in Alexandria, while 30,000 were in Red Sea resorts which remained "calm", Mr Cameron told MPs on Wednesday. He said 1,000 Britons had left the country in the previous 48 hours. |
| In a joint statement on Thursday, Mr Cameron and his French, German, Italian and Spanish counterparts expressed their concern about the latest developments. | In a joint statement on Thursday, Mr Cameron and his French, German, Italian and Spanish counterparts expressed their concern about the latest developments. |
| "We are watching with utmost concern the deteriorating situation in Egypt," the statement said. | "We are watching with utmost concern the deteriorating situation in Egypt," the statement said. |
| "The Egyptian people must be able to exercise freely their right to peaceful assembly, and enjoy the full protection of the security forces. | "The Egyptian people must be able to exercise freely their right to peaceful assembly, and enjoy the full protection of the security forces. |
| "Attacks against journalists are completely unacceptable. | "Attacks against journalists are completely unacceptable. |
| "We condemn all those who use or encourage violence, which will only aggravate the political crisis in Egypt. Only a quick and orderly transition to a broad-based government will make it possible to overcome the challenges Egypt is now facing. | "We condemn all those who use or encourage violence, which will only aggravate the political crisis in Egypt. Only a quick and orderly transition to a broad-based government will make it possible to overcome the challenges Egypt is now facing. |
| "That transition process must start now." | "That transition process must start now." |