700 Filipinos trapped in Libya to be rescued
- webfeatures
- Aug 17, 2014
- 1 min read
Staff Report
MANILA – At least 700 Filipinos trapped in Libya will be the latest among thousands of workers trapped in Libya to be rescued soon.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on Tuesday that a rescue ship would pick up 400 Filipinos from Misrata and 300 in Benghazi at the end of the week.
Del Rosario said rescue teams were also looking to save 200 people in Sirte, but will need smaller boats to reach them because of its shallow harbor.
"We are counting on getting as many people as possible," so they can be brought to safety in Malta, he said.
There were an estimated 13,000 working in Libya when fighting between militia groups prompted the government to call for their "mandatory evacuation". Despite repeated calls to leave, about 11,000 Filipinos are believed to have remained in Libya.
With input from AFP
