Dozens of Chinese citizens evacuated from Lebanon to Cyprus

A girl evacuated from Lebanon embraces her mother at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- About 80 Chinese citizens and their foreign family members successfully arrived on Tuesday at the Port of Limassol in Cyprus from Lebanon.

According to officials from the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus, the ship responsible for the evacuation departed from a Lebanese port at midnight on Monday and arrived at Limassol after a 13-hour-journey.

The Chinese Embassy in Cyprus set up a service desk at the Limassol Port to provide emergency services for processing relevant documents for Chinese compatriots, as well as foreign relatives of Chinese citizens.

The Chinese government has made every effort to overcome various difficulties and create conditions to ensure the safe evacuation of the citizens, said Liu Yantao, Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus.

Evacuees from Lebanon started trickling into Cyprus as tensions in the Middle East rose, and Cypriot authorities said on Wednesday that their plan to receive many more became "fully operational."

Many international airlines have suspended flights to the region and almost 80 flights to Middle East airports were diverted to other countries as the airspace over several countries was closed after the Iranian missile attack against Israel.

A crossing hub into the extended airspace controlled by Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean was also closed while airport authorities said at least 11 planes headed to Beirut or Tel Aviv were diverted overnight to Larnaca airport.

Chinese citizens evacuated from Lebanon line up for procedures at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Staff of the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus welcome Chinese citizens evacuated from Lebanon at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

A Chinese citizen evacuated from Lebanon waves as she arrives at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Chinese citizens evacuated from Lebanon are seen at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

The ship carrying Chinese citizens and their foreign family members evacuated from Lebanon arrives at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Chinese citizens and their foreign family members from Lebanon line up for procedures at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Chinese citizens and their foreign family members evacuated from Lebanon arrive at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Evacuees from Lebanon disembark from a ship at the Port of Limassol, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Song Zhizhu/Xinhua)