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Libya evacuation: Efforts to get remaining Britons home Libya evacuation: Cameron pledge on remaining Britons
(about 3 hours later)
Scores of Britons are still in Libya after increased efforts saw about 500 leave by plane and boat on Thursday. Prime Minister David Cameron has said the government "will do everything it can" to evacuate safely up to 500 Britons left in Libya.
The Foreign Office estimates fewer than 500 Britons remain - including about 50 in and around Tripoli and many oil workers in remote desert areas. After about 500 Britons left by plane and boat on Thursday, Mr Cameron said those remaining "do need to leave now".
Prime Minister David Cameron is due to chair a high-level meeting of the National Security Council later. He said action was being taken "right now" to help British oil workers in remote desert areas, and the Royal Navy's HMS York was going to the area.
He said he was "incredibly sorry" for the handling of the evacuation, which has been criticised as slow. The evacuation was earlier criticised as slow, for which the PM apologised.
The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner said the SAS had been put on standby for an "emergency deployment". On Friday morning, Mr Cameron chaired meetings of the National Security Council and Cobra emergency committee, which includes Foreign Secretary William Hague, Defence Secretary Liam Fox, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Sir David Richards.
Some 79 British nationals landed at Gatwick airport on Thursday morning on a flight chartered by oil company BP. The Foreign Office (FCO) has given details of flights returning British nationals to the UK:
A later Foreign Office-chartered flight carrying 181 adults and two children, including 113 Britons, landed at 2030 GMT on Thursday.
  • A flight chartered by oil company BP carrying 79 Britons landed at Gatwick airport on Thursday morning
  • A later FCO-chartered flight carrying 181 adults and two children, including 113 Britons, landed at 2030 GMT on Thursday
  • Another FCO-chartered flight arrived at Gatwick at 0315 GMT on Friday, carrying 130 people including 53 Britons
  • A charter flight carrying three Britons left Tripoli for Stansted airport on Friday
  • A further commercial plane is still on the ground at Tripoli airport as part of the government's evacuation effort
Another flight arrived at Gatwick at about 0300 GMT on Friday, although the numbers on board have not yet been confirmed. A third commercial plane is yet to leave Tripoli as part of the government's evacuation. An FCO statement said: "The security situation at the airport has been deteriorating in recent hours and the route to the airport is becoming more precarious. We continue to monitor the situation closely."
The frigate HMS Cumberland has picked up 68 British nationals from Benghazi and is heading for Malta, where the evacuees will pick up flights to the UK. Consular staff were with 42 British nationals currently on a US ferry in Tripoli harbour, who had been advised to "stay on board as the route to the airport is now unsafe", the statement said.
The frigate HMS Cumberland has picked up 68 British nationals from Benghazi and is due to arrive late today in Malta, where the evacuees will pick up flights to the UK.
An FCO spokesperson denied a report that bribes had been paid to officials at Tripoli airport.
Charges applied to all countries and carriers using the airport had increased during the current unrest, the spokesperson said, adding: "We have had to pay them, the alternative being to leave hundreds of British nationals stranded in Tripoli."
'Fiasco''Fiasco'
Several people who arrived back at Gatwick on Thursday described the Foreign Office's response as "disastrous".Several people who arrived back at Gatwick on Thursday described the Foreign Office's response as "disastrous".
They complained about being cold, wet and hungry while waiting 14 hours for the plane to arrive and take them home.They complained about being cold, wet and hungry while waiting 14 hours for the plane to arrive and take them home.
One told the BBC: "If the government's going to do something it needs to pull its finger out and actually physically do something."One told the BBC: "If the government's going to do something it needs to pull its finger out and actually physically do something."
Another said: "The people on the ground from the British embassy, when we finally found them at the airport, they couldn't have been better. But the communication with London, it was just a fiasco."Another said: "The people on the ground from the British embassy, when we finally found them at the airport, they couldn't have been better. But the communication with London, it was just a fiasco."
One of the lucky ones to get out was a British woman who was airlifted with her newborn baby by an Irish government LearJet. One of the lucky ones to get out was a British woman who was airlifted with her newborn baby by an Irish government Learjet.
The woman, who had just given birth by Caesarean section, was evacuated to Malta with her husband and two other children. The woman, who had a Caesarean section, was evacuated to Malta with her husband and two other children.
Mr Cameron said it had not been an easy situation and ministers needed to "learn the lessons". Earlier, Mr Cameron said of the British response: "Of course I am incredibly sorry. They have had a difficult time. The conditions at the airport have been extremely poor.
He will chair a meeting of the National Security Council, followed by the Cobra emergency committee, which includes Foreign Secretary William Hague, Defence Secretary Liam Fox, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir David Richards. "There are going to be lessons to be learned from this and we will make absolutely sure that we learn them for the future but, right now, the priority has got to be getting those British nationals home."
US President Barack Obama and Mr Cameron also discussed Libya on the telephone on Thursday night. US President Barack Obama and Mr Cameron discussed Libya on the telephone on Thursday night.
'Seizing the moment''Seizing the moment'
A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The prime minister updated the president on his trip to the Middle East, stressing the importance of seizing this moment of opportunity for change in the region.A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The prime minister updated the president on his trip to the Middle East, stressing the importance of seizing this moment of opportunity for change in the region.
"The leaders discussed Libya and agreed to work together closely on the swift evacuation of nationals. They also agreed to co-ordinate on possible multilateral measures on Libya, including at the UN Human Rights Council on Monday.""The leaders discussed Libya and agreed to work together closely on the swift evacuation of nationals. They also agreed to co-ordinate on possible multilateral measures on Libya, including at the UN Human Rights Council on Monday."
Mr Cameron said of the British response: "Of course I am incredibly sorry. They have had a difficult time. The conditions at the airport have been extremely poor. Labour leader Ed Miliband has criticised the government's reaction to the crisis.
"There are going to be lessons to be learned from this and we will make absolutely sure that we learn them for the future but, right now, the priority has got to be getting those British nationals home."
Labour leader Ed Miliband criticised the government's reaction to the crisis.
He said: "I'm afraid the government has been slow off the mark and lessons need to be learned, but the priority now is to get those British citizens out as soon as possible. That's why the prime minister needs to get a grip on the situation."He said: "I'm afraid the government has been slow off the mark and lessons need to be learned, but the priority now is to get those British citizens out as soon as possible. That's why the prime minister needs to get a grip on the situation."
UK nationals wishing to register an interest in flights out of Libya should call 020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 3403644/45 from Libya.UK nationals wishing to register an interest in flights out of Libya should call 020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 3403644/45 from Libya.
The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to Libya.The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to Libya.
Have you been affected? Do you have relatives in Libya? Send us your comments.Have you been affected? Do you have relatives in Libya? Send us your comments.