More Lebanese Arrive from Abidjan as Berri Asks for Help from Qatar

A Middle East Airlines plane landed at Beirut airport on Friday morning bringing 95 Lebanese who have escaped the violence in the Ivory Coast.

The plane had 244 people on board.

The passenger plane arrived in Beirut from Ghana where the Lebanese had escaped from Abidjan. They were taken to Togo with French military planes and then to Ghana.

The National News Agency said that among the passengers was Jamal Seqlawi who arrived laughing for taking only his pants and hat to escape the violence.

NNA quoted other passengers as saying that they had suffered heavy economic losses after gunmen looted their shops and businesses.

Ali Qaafarani, who hails from the town of Toura, said he suffered huge financial losses after fighters ransacked his 18-year car dealership company.

While Lebanese authorities were informed by France that the Abidjan airport was now “safe and that Lebanese planes can land there,” MEA Chairman Mohammed Hout told As Safir daily that insurance companies refuse to allow planes to land there deeming the airport “unsafe for now.”

He said he would send the MEA fleet to Ivory Coast’s economic capital as soon as insurance companies give the green light.

As Safir said that Speaker Nabih Berri telephoned Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, asking him to put the Qatari fleet at the disposal of the Lebanese government to evacuate Lebanese nationals stranded in Abidjan.