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British planes standby to take home tourists in Egypt

Xinhua, November 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

British planes have landed in Cyprus in readiness to start evacuation of some 20,000 British tourists stranded in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Cypriot authorities said on Friday.

State television quoted officials as saying that some planes are on standby at Larnaca airport and more are expected overnight.

It added that Britain has informed the Cypriot government that it has drawn plans to use Cyprus as a stepping stone to evacuate the tourists trapped in the Egyptian resort because of the suspension of flights following the crash of the Russian plane in Sinai last weekend.

The state television said that both the Larnaca and Paphos airports will be used in the operation.

Britain suspended flights to Sharm el-Sheikh after it said that evidence points to a terrorist act which downed the Russian MetroJet Airbus 321 plane shortly after taking off from the Egyptian resort.

Russia also suspended flights to Sharm el-Shiekh stranding about 50,000 tourists.

British plans for a massive evacuation of its citizens from the Egyptian resort were thrown in disarray on Friday after Egyptian authorities said they could not handle the 29 flights Britain asked for in a short span of time.

Egyptian Minister of Civil Aviation Hossam Kamal said the Sharm el-Sheikh airport could handle only eight flights to taken hand luggage passengers only and one plane carrying luggage.

A spokesman for the British Prime Minister said the situation has become complex and difficult following the Egyptian objections to the mass evacuation plans. Endit