Warships rescue South Asians from Lebanon








Wreckage of war

India has launched a massive operation to evacuate its nationals from war-torn Lebanon, with around 300 people boarding destroyer INS Mumbai.


Though there were 700 Indian nationals, some Nepali and Sri Lankan nationals waiting at Beirut port, only 300 could be accommodated on the warship.


The second lot of evacuees will be picked up by guided missile frigate INS Brahmaputra..


Indian warships INS Brahmaputra, INS Betwa and INS Shakti are anchored outside the 60-square-mile exclusion zone enforced by Israeli forces along the Lebanese coast, The Times of India reported.


The warships, one after the other, will go into the overcrowded Beirut harbour to bring people out, in consultation with Israeli authorities enforcing the blockade, an Indian official said.


There are an estimated 12,000 Indians in Lebanon.


The four ships together can carry a total of 1,000 people in one wave, according to The Times of India.


External affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said the Indian embassy in Beirut continues to receive requests for evacuation from Indian nationals and is processing them in consultation with the local authorities.

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