Malta will be operating six Air Malta flights between Djerba in Tunisia and Cairo to evacuate some 900 Egyptians as its contribution to the humanitarian operation on the Tunisia-Libya border, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici said this evening.

Addressing a media briefing, the minister said that the cost of these flights would be covered by the Maltese government.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici also announced a number of bank accounts where people could contribute for the purchase of humanitarian aid to Libya. The accounts will be operated by the Civil Protection Department.

He said the most urgent need was for the provision of medical supplies.

Once these supplies were bought, they would be delivered to Libya. And although it was easier to deliver them to the Benghazi area in eastern Libya, if it was possible and there were requests, they would be delivered to all areas in Libya.

Asked about the request of the Eritrean community in Malta for help to be provided to asylum seekers stranded in Libya, the minister said the government supported the request but was non-committal.

However, he said that the government would support any action requested by the UNHCR.

The UNHCR has reiterated a call for all states neighbouring Libya to keep their borders open to individuals who are escaping the turmoil.

Asked about fears being voiced by some people that Malta could come under attack, he said this was a very remote possibility at this point.

He denied media reports that the government had been given an ultimatum for the return of the Mirage jet fighters to the Libyan government.

Giving the latest evacuation figures, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that as at 4 p.m., just over 14,039 evacuees had passed through Malta – 4,000 of them by air. There were 54 air and 17 sea trips.

A total of 254 Maltese had returned home and three were on their way. Another three were on an oil rig at sea and arrangements were being made for the evacuation of another two. 31 did not want to come to Malta.

He noted that in the coming days, 18,000 Indians were to be brought to Malta as evacuees.

The bank accounts for donations to buy medical supplies for the Libyan people are:

HSBC -078-002391-050

BOV - 40018758443

Lombard Bank - 01440800001

APS Bank - 20000889551

Banif Bank - 00083224181

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