Libya live blog February 27

Reporting by Karl Stagno-Navarra, Matthew Vella, Miriam Dalli and Nestor Laiviera.

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February 26 live blog
February 25 live blog
February 24 live blog
February 23 live blog
February 22 live blog

21:43 Virtu Ferries catamarans Maria Dolores and San Gwann have returned to Grand Harbour after their second rescue trips to Libya. 300 passengers, including the Maltese ambassador, George Cassar and the Portuguese ambassador to Libya are among the passengers evacuated from Tripoli. 14 Maltese were on board the Maria Dolores along with 178 other passengers. According to a Virtu Ferries spokesman, the two catamarans are expected to make another six-hour trip to Tripoli tonight.

21:09 A second RAF Hercules transport aircraft has returned to Malta, after a second rescue mission from the Libya desert. The aircraft landed 90 minutes after another RAF Hercules landed at Malta International Airport carrying 126 oil workers who were rescued, while another 70 are on their way to Malta aboard a third RAF Hercules aircraft.

The three Hercules took off from Malta in the afternoon.

British Defence Secretary Liam Fox confirmed the operation tonight and said workers of various nationalities had been picked up from multiple locations.

20:48 A Maltese worker was among 126 workers evacuated tonight from the Libyan desert in another RAF operation. Anthony Formosa who spoke on PBS news this evening, said that he, together with another 40 colleagues sought shelter in a nearby village for five tension-filled days. Yesterday morning they travelled to a nearby airstrip which was under the control of anti-government protesters and he was immediately allowed on board by the British forces  which flew to Malta at low level to evade radar. He added that there were scenes of jubilation on board when the plane finally made it back

20;43 A private flight coordinated by Medavia and the Maltese Foreign Affairs ministry has returned seven more Maltese workers from Libya. The flight, the second of its nature, landed at 7.40 p.m.

20:29 The German air force has evacuated 132 people from the Libya desert in a secret military mission, the country's foreign minister said Sunday, but thousands of other foreigners were still stuck in Tripoli by bad weather and red tape. Two German military planes landed Saturday on a private runway belonging to the Wintershall AG company and evacuated 22 Germans and 112 others, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in Berlin. The military planes later landed safely Saturday night on the Greek island of Crete. Another 18 German citizens were rescued by the British military in a separate military operation Saturday that targeted remote oil installations in the Libyan desert, Westerwelle said. Around 100 other German citizens were still in Libya and the government was trying to get them out as quickly as possible, he said.

"I want to thank the members of the Germany military for their brave mission," Westerwelle said

German military missions abroad need approval by parliament, and Westerwelle said he had spoken to all party leaders in parliament Friday to tell them about the upcoming military mission. He said the coalition government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel had evaluated the situation in Libya as "very dangerous" and therefore ordered an immediate evacuation by the air force.

20:20 Alternattiva Demokratika welcomes Lawrence Gonzi’s condemnation of Gaddafi regim. “Though late, the PM’s clear declaration that violence should not deny Libyan people their legitimate aspirations and that the end of the Gaddafi regime was therefore inevitable, is most welcome,” AD international affairs spokesperson Arnold Cassola said.

“History  has always shown that trying to appease criminal political leaders never pays. The Maltese government and Labour opposition should have condemned Gaddafi the moment he started killing his own people and he and his son threatened to use their last bullet to shed Libyan blood.  Criminal politicians in this state of mind would resort to all kinds of unimaginable violence.”

20:19 A British Royal Air Force Hercules transport aircraft has returned to Malta tonight after a second rescue mission from Libya. 126 passengers are reported to have been evacuated from  Libya in what appears to have been the second military operation since yesterday night by the RAF to pick up foreign workers from the Libyan desert.

19:30 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi: "I have no doubt that the LAA plane that was refused landing in Malta last Wednesday carried pilots who intended to take back defecting Mirage jets

19:26 Libyan fighter jets “will remain” in Malta even if Libya has requested their return.

19:25 “I have no knowledge yet about Gaddafi’s private jet flying over Malta, I have asked my authorities to look into the matter.” Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi

19:24 Libyan Arab Airlines flight refused landing last week in Malta declared “pilots aboard”

19:24 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has held a phone conversation with UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

19:21 “I laud the work of Maltese diplomats in our embassy in Tripoli. We have now decided that in the wake of the latest developments and the situation in the country, to call the Ambassador back, leaving two diplomats inside the embassy to continue giving a service to Maltese nationals and a guarantee that they would be extracted to safety.”

19:19 “Malta is not preparing to become a military base for no state, and all I can say that the only requests were for Malta to assist in the evacuation and transit of expats from Libya.” Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

19:16 Gaddafi’s end is now “inevitable” – PM Lawrence Gonzi

19: 14 Malta signed instruments to comply with UN sanctions as approved by UN Security Council.

19: 12 Libyan pilots are being ‘hosted’ by Maltese government, and await the decision of Malta’s Commissioner for Refugees to approve their request for political asylum, following their defection to Malta on two F1 Mirage jets.

19:11 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is delivering a press conference at Castille, “situation is critical and expected to escalate in the coming hours and days. Also possible escalation of humanitarian crisis “Our priority was and will remain to bring back Maltese expats from Libya and ensure all facilities for their safe return. Second, is to give our full assistance to all those nations who need to repatriate their expats through Malta. I confirm that by tonight, this operation involved 175 Maltese nationals from Libya, while 33 more are on their way to Malta at this time. 53 remain in Libya, of whom 35 do not wish to return. Malta has so far hosted 8,000 international expats, of 89 nationalities, who have transited on evacuation through Malta.”

19:07 Audio evidence of Gaddafi jet communication with Malta air traffic control. Libyan government's Falcon Dassault 5A-DCN from Minsk Belarus to Mitiga Tripoli Libya on 26 February 2011. At the time the pilot of 5A-DCN was on Malta ACC, the Dutch airliner Transavia departed at Malta, you hear flight HV7004 in the audio file.

19:01 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi arrives at Castille to deliver press conference on Libya situation

18:45 Two Maltese workers rescued from Libya are assisting the Foreign Ministry track other workers still in Libya. One of the workers was plucked from the desert by a private flight operated from Malta two days ago, while arrangements had been made for the other worker to come to Malta on a Croatian vessel. The two briefed staff on the location of other Maltese and manned the phone lines contacting  some of the stranded workers. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this morning visited the centre which has handled more than 1,000 calls since last Monday. Up to 25 Maltese are currently still in Libya, and the government continues with its efforts to bring them back home..

18:37 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says: "US is ready to assist Libya opposition to overthrow Ghaddafi regime"

18:30 Opposition forces are now on the doorstep of Libya's capital Tripoli and faint outlines of an alternative government have emerged in Benghazi, the uprising's stronghold to the east.  But forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi, causing heavy casualties, continue to maintain their hold over Tripoli. Visiting journalists taken with much fanfare on a guided media tour by the regime are quoting doctors in Tripoli as saying the dead and the injured are being taken away from hospitals, and stuffed in cars by state-sponsored operatives, so that a lower casualty toll can be recorded.

18:20 French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie has resigned, following reports on France close links with deposed Tunisian President Ben Ali

18:12 The Serbian defence ministry said in a statement that none of its current or former military staff had been involved in events under way in Libya. The statement followed some Arab and Maltese media reports that Serbian pilots and ground crews had taken part in bombing those protesting Muammar Gadaffi's regime in Tripoli and Benghazi. (Tanjug News)

18:07 Virtu Ferries catamarans Maria Dolores and San Gwann which have departed Tripoli harbour earlier today are said to be carrying more than 500 workers of several nationalities to Malta. The Portuguese ambassador to Tripoli is also on one of the vessels.

17:53 Another vessel chartered to evacuate Chinese nationals in Libya has left Libya for Malta, a Chinese diplomat said. Fu Zhimin, counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Malta, told Xinhua that the ship, which is the second ship chartered by the Chinese Embassy in Malta, was sailing to Malta around noon Sunday with more than 1,600 Chinese evacuees on board.  The ship is expected to arrive at Valletta’s Grand Harbour on Monday.
Two chartered planes of China Eastern Airlines carrying 550 Chinese evacuees from Libya left Malta for Shanghai, China, on Saturday night.
Another two chartered planes of China Eastern Airlines are planned to carry 550 evacuees from Malta today. Other evacuees will depart for China on Monday in four chartered planes.
China Eastern Airlines will fly four planes every day to Malta from Feb. 28 to March 10, as part of all-round airborne evacuation missions aimed at taking stranded Chinese citizens back home as soon as possible, according to information from an emergency meeting of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in Beijing yesterday.

16:56 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is to address a press conference at Castille at 19;00

16:43 Maltese ambassador to Libya George Cassar has reportedly left Tripoli with his family and is returning to Malta on a catamaran, MaltaToday is informed. However the Maltese embassy in Tripoli remains open and operational.

15:04 Reports that the private jet belonging to the Gaddafi family was in the Malta flight information region appear to have been confirmed, after the plane left Minsk this morning to return to the Mitiga airfield in Tripoli. The plane may have engaged with the Hungarian and Maltese air traffic control centres. Israeli newspaper Haaretz also reports that Muammar Gaddafi is a close ally of Belarus president Lukashenko.

15:03 HMS Cumberland is docked back in Benghazi, Libya, set to leave again at dusk for Malta

15:00 Virtu Ferries Catamarans have left Tripoli harbour and are heading for Malta with 400 evacuees. Expected to dock tonight.

14:47 China's Eastern Airlines to send eight chartered jumbo flights to evacuate the Chinese from Malta.

14:45 Croatia said 28 Croatian workers have left Benghazi on an Italian military ship bound for Malta

14:40 Military sources said Germany is sending three ships to Libya to help evacuate German citizens according to Reuters.

12:50 The Swedish government will be sending a military aircraft to the Luqa runway this evening at 6:15 pm to conduct an evacuation of Swedish nationals from Libya.

12:30 The Prime Minister visited the crisis coordination centre where the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs is coordinating communications along with representatives from the Armed Forces. PM Gonzi also confirmed Maltese nationals had been evacuated from Libya by the RAF Hercules that  picked up some 150 oil workers.

12:20 UK Foreign Office says that HMS Cumberland will leave Benghazi at 1500(Libya time) advising all remaining British nationals  to get to Tripoli harbour "immediately".

12:02 Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi is at Pinto Wharf, at the Viset Cruise Terminal in Valletta, Grand Harbour.

Nestor Laiviera says the feeling was upbeat. “There is the general feeling that everything is under control, and that evacuation coordination in Malta is being expertly handled.” Prime Minister Gonzi met with Red Cross Staff, members from the CPD, the EFRU, customs, and immigration.

He praised the work they were carrying out and emphasised repeatedly that the prime concern was making sure that the people arriving from Libya be given and warm and homely welcome. “They are not tourists,” he said.

The PM has also been in contact personally with some of the 33 Maltese nationals who are want to remain in Tripoli and other desert outposts and towns. “They are not incommunicado; they simply refuse to come back. The PM is urging them to come back and has been in contact with some of them.”

Two Virtù ferries in Tripoli are also expected to leave “immediately.” Gonzi urged anyone still in Tripoli to “take this chance” and see to it to leave Libya quickly as the ferries could leave “within minutes”. He however added that Malta had “other solutions” for the evacuation of Maltese nationals outside Tripoli if necessary.

Gonzi was tight-lipped when asked questions about the two Libyan Mirages that the Maltese government currently holds on its airstrip. Queried by local media, he would only say that the time would not be right to comment in that regard, and said that he priority at the moment is to ensure the safe extraction of all the foreigners currently still in Libya.

In other questions, Gonzi also said that the situation seems as if it is deteriorating fast but “things could have been far worse.” He speculated that the scenario that has yet to unfold could be the most worrying, and that governments need to be proactive in being prepared for all eventualities.

11:38 Video of Hercules landing at MIA on 26 February at t 1845 hrs transporting civilians from desert locations south of Benghazi, Libya. The two aircraft evacuated more than 150 people.

11:36 SNAV entering Grand Harbour now, carrying 1,750 of 34 different nationalities.

11:33 Update on medical care to evacuees at Valletta Grand Harbour

Passengers on Catamarans & HMS Cumberland: Assisted: 19; Referred for further care: 6; Needed hospital admission: 4 ; Status: All Discharged

Passengers on Cruise Roma: Assisted: 4; Referred for further care: 2; Needed hospital admission: 2 ; Status: 2 admitted patients still in hospital

11:28 The cruise ship Toscana, chartered by a Brazilian company from Italy, is due to bring dome 3,000 workers from Libya to Malta this morning. Nearly all the workers are Brazilians, but said Thais and Vietnamese are also on board.

11:25 Reports that Libyan government aircraft 5A-DCN contacted Malta ATC last night at flight level 410. Sources say plane was 'closely monitored' by Malta Operations Centre.

11:13 Dutch government says seven Dutch citizens were aboard British evacuation flight from Libya and brought to Malta

11:03 The Independent: Former British Prime Minister, and Middle East special envoy Tony Blair has reportedly twice phoned Gaddafi on Friday and asked him to stop the offensive on civilians and urged him to quit the Libya's leadership.

11:01 U.K. foreign secretary William Hague says he has signed directive revoking diplomatic immunity for Ghaddafi and sons.

11:00 Nearly 100,000 people have fled Libya in past week - UN refugee agency via Al-Arabiya

10:28 The Maltese catamarans ‘Maria Dolores’ and ‘San Gwann’ are stranded in Tripoli harbour, as rough seas are preventing their return to Malta with more evacuees. The Virtu' Ferries catamarans were expected to leave Tripoli yesterday evening, and company officials have said that both vessels, carrying workers of various nationalities including Maltese, would leave late this afternoon.

10:16 A ‘complex’ evacuation operation of oil workers in the Libyan desert by British special forces has thrown open the door wide open for debate on whether the mission is in breach of Malta’s neutrality, and contradicts Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s statement last Monday that “Libya’s territorial integrity should be respected.”

The evacuation was made without cooperation from the Libyan authorities, and the RAF Hercules aircraft, that departed from Malta flew into Libya and conducted an “extremely complex,” operation a UK Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner  said: “it was not just oil workers in one camp, they had to deal with several different locations and a number of heavily armed people."

Peter Dingle from Lancashire was among those airlifted out in the military operation."We found out early this morning that the Hercules was coming in but everything was being kept quiet," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "We couldn't send e-mails out to any people or anything like that because obviously the media would find out that the British military was coming."

The operation was entirely coordinated from Malta.

10:04 As many as 126 Romanians have been repatriated already from Libya by special flights organized by other countries, while the rest of those interested in arriving in Romania may fly by the aircrafts Romania's National Defence Ministry sends to the area, or they may travel by the 500 seat ferryboat the European Union sent to Benghazi, 50 percent of the fees being paid by the EU member states, Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) spokesperson Doris Mircea said.

A C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft belonging to the Romanian Air Force landed at Tripoli Airport while the military aircraft C-27 J Spartan landed at MIA.

09:30 The United Nations Security Council has agreed a range of sanctions against Libya, including an arms embargo and freezing the assets of Colonel Gaddafi. The resolution also called for the immediate referral of the crackdown against anti-government demonstrators in Libya to the International Criminal Court in The Hague for investigation and possible prosecution of anyone responsible for killing civilians. The 15-member council voted unanimously to freeze the assets of Gaddafi, his four sons and one daughter, and to ban travel by the whole family plus 10 close associates.