Ottawa/CMEDIA: Blocks of seats on the few remaining commercial flights leaving Lebanon Friday have reportedly started to be booked by Global Affairs Canada owing to escalating fight between Israel and Hezbollahplea.
“Canadians need to leave now and we are helping with that…Canada has secured seats for Canadians on the limited commercial flights available. If a seat is available, please take it,” Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has said in a statement on X late Friday afternoon.
Although passengers will pay for the flights themselves, loans are available for those who need financial assistance, Joly has said.
Owing to the escalating fight between Israel and Hezbollah, Canadians in Lebanon have been asked to leave for months, Joly and Defence Minister Bill Blair have said.
There were still many commercial flight options available on Thur,Blair said but by Fri those were quickly filling up.
In an effort to help as many Canadians as possible. steps in pre-booking seats are being taken by Global Affairs Canada.
With flights going to any destination, passengers would be responsible for finding their own way to Canada.
Joly has said earlier this week that with approximately 45,000 Canadians being in Lebanon, only about half of them have been registered officially with the embassy in Beirut.
Canadians should register with the embassy in Beirut saying they want help leave Lebanon, Joly has said, th
In order to get information in securing one of the available seats, Canadians in Lebanon have been asked to use the email me-mo.sos@international.gc.ca.
Although a possible evacuation of Canadian citizens from Lebanon has been planned for months by the federal government and the military, people are being asked by the government to leave on their own if needed.
Joly said she spoke with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati Friday and that “there must be no war” in Lebanon.
“Civilians must be protected and we need an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.”
