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25 February 2011
Last updated at 15:42 ET
Britons are being urged to leave Libya on the final government-chartered flight from Tripoli on Saturday.
There are fewer than 500 Britons left in Libya, as the UK's focus turns to the oil workers stranded in the desert.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said the rescue operation was about to enter its final phase, but there was still concern over the isolated oil workers.
The Foreign Office says it has helped about 600 British nationals to leave the crisis-hit North African country.
Reports say anti-government protesters have faced heavy gunfire in the capital Tripoli, as the Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi defies calls for him to stand down.
Fighting has raged for the past week in towns and cities outside the capital between anti-government forces and pro-Gaddafi troops and militiamen.
'Way out' The foreign secretary said the Royal Navy frigate HMS Cumberland would return to Benghazi, Libya's second largest city, to pick up more evacuees.
"There are now very few British nationals remaining in Tripoli. It's very important that those that remain go to the airport, that they do so at first light tomorrow [Saturday]," he said.
"Given that there are now only a small number left, the last government-sponsored chartered plane will leave Tripoli tomorrow.
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David Cameron: "In the last 24 hours there have been six flights out and there will be more if necessary"
"Also, a very small number left at Benghazi after the departure of HMS Cumberland. For them and anyone else who can get to Benghazi, HMS Cumberland will return probably on Sunday. I want them to know that they do have a way out."
Mr Hague added: "For the people in the desert still, a much larger number who are in a more difficult situation of course in remote locations, we are doing a lot of work on how we can help them. We can't say anything more about that at the moment."
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has given details of flights returning British nationals to the UK:
Time goes slowly when you're stuck in a country in turmoil, writes an anonymous oil worker based on the outskirts of Tripoli.
Mobile communications have been down for several days now, and the internet is sporadic at best.
We have been depending on a generator for much of our electricity, so have managed to keep a semblance of normal life ongoing.
We have enough supplies to last for two months, but fresh food and bread are luxuries we shall have to wait for. At night we sit and worry about our colleagues in other parts of the country, wondering whether they are safe.
Some of you may be wondering why I'm still here. Well, the reason is simple. I have four men still stuck in the desert, and I won't be leaving the country until they have been safely evacuated.
Some 49 British nationals have departed on a US ferry from Tripoli harbour.
HMS Cumberland has picked up 207 people including 68 British nationals from Benghazi and is due to arrive in Malta on Friday night, where evacuees can pick up flights to the UK.
The FCO in London said it had taken more than 1,000 calls in the past 24 hours either from British nationals wanting to leave Libya, or from family and colleagues in the UK.
Some 25 specialist extra Foreign Office staff have been sent to reinforce teams in Libya and Malta, and the FCO has also helped nationals from about 25 other countries to leave Libya.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "The security and wellbeing of British nationals is our absolute priority.
"We are doing all we can to get them out of Libya, drawing on both military and commercial assets, as well as working with international partners.
"Our priority is ensuring British nationals can leave Libya as quickly and as safely as soon as possible."
The Foreign Office said it had helped directly about 450 British nationals to leave Libya, and facilitated the departure of another 150.
The FCO said information from British companies indicated there may be more than the 170 British workers in remote desert camps previously thought. But it would not be drawn on the exact number for "security reasons".
British Airways and fellow UK carrier bmi, which both usually operate daily flights between Heathrow and Tripoli, have cancelled their Libya services up to and including Monday.
Lessons learned On Friday morning, Prime Minister David Cameron chaired meetings of the National Security Council and the Cobra emergency committee, which includes Foreign Secretary William Hague, Defence Secretary Liam Fox, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Sir David Richards.
Mr Cameron has apologised for the speed of the government's response and said lessons would be learned from it.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "There is a worrying whiff of incompetence about the way this government is handling this issue, and it's become a pattern with this government about the way decisions are made and the way things are handled.
"Frankly, I think Mr Cameron has got to get a grip on the way this Government works."
The numbers for British nationals to call about charter flights out of Libya are 020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 340 3644/45 from Libya.
The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to Libya.
Have you been affected? Do you have relatives in Libya? Send us your comments.
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There are fewer than 500 Britons left in Libya, as the UK's focus turns to the oil workers stranded in the desert.
Foreign Secretary William Hague said the rescue operation was about to enter its final phase, but there was still concern over the isolated oil workers.
The Foreign Office says it has helped about 600 British nationals to leave the crisis-hit North African country.
Reports say anti-government protesters have faced heavy gunfire in the capital Tripoli, as the Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi defies calls for him to stand down.
Fighting has raged for the past week in towns and cities outside the capital between anti-government forces and pro-Gaddafi troops and militiamen.
'Way out' The foreign secretary said the Royal Navy frigate HMS Cumberland would return to Benghazi, Libya's second largest city, to pick up more evacuees.
"There are now very few British nationals remaining in Tripoli. It's very important that those that remain go to the airport, that they do so at first light tomorrow [Saturday]," he said.
"Given that there are now only a small number left, the last government-sponsored chartered plane will leave Tripoli tomorrow.
Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.David Cameron: "In the last 24 hours there have been six flights out and there will be more if necessary"
"Also, a very small number left at Benghazi after the departure of HMS Cumberland. For them and anyone else who can get to Benghazi, HMS Cumberland will return probably on Sunday. I want them to know that they do have a way out."
Mr Hague added: "For the people in the desert still, a much larger number who are in a more difficult situation of course in remote locations, we are doing a lot of work on how we can help them. We can't say anything more about that at the moment."
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has given details of flights returning British nationals to the UK:
- A flight chartered by oil company BP carrying 79 Britons landed at Gatwick airport on Thursday morning
- A later FCO-chartered flight carrying 181 adults and two children, including 113 Britons, landed at 2030 GMT on Thursday
- Another FCO-chartered flight arrived at Gatwick at 0315 GMT on Friday, carrying 130 people including 53 Britons
- A charter flight carrying three Britons arrived at Stansted airport at 0530 GMT
- A charter flight to Gatwick departed Tripoli at 1630 GMT, carrying 34 Britons, 18 Canadians and 27 other nationals
Time goes slowly when you're stuck in a country in turmoil, writes an anonymous oil worker based on the outskirts of Tripoli.
Mobile communications have been down for several days now, and the internet is sporadic at best.
We have been depending on a generator for much of our electricity, so have managed to keep a semblance of normal life ongoing.
We have enough supplies to last for two months, but fresh food and bread are luxuries we shall have to wait for. At night we sit and worry about our colleagues in other parts of the country, wondering whether they are safe.
Some of you may be wondering why I'm still here. Well, the reason is simple. I have four men still stuck in the desert, and I won't be leaving the country until they have been safely evacuated.
Some 49 British nationals have departed on a US ferry from Tripoli harbour.
HMS Cumberland has picked up 207 people including 68 British nationals from Benghazi and is due to arrive in Malta on Friday night, where evacuees can pick up flights to the UK.
The FCO in London said it had taken more than 1,000 calls in the past 24 hours either from British nationals wanting to leave Libya, or from family and colleagues in the UK.
Some 25 specialist extra Foreign Office staff have been sent to reinforce teams in Libya and Malta, and the FCO has also helped nationals from about 25 other countries to leave Libya.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "The security and wellbeing of British nationals is our absolute priority.
"We are doing all we can to get them out of Libya, drawing on both military and commercial assets, as well as working with international partners.
"Our priority is ensuring British nationals can leave Libya as quickly and as safely as soon as possible."
The Foreign Office said it had helped directly about 450 British nationals to leave Libya, and facilitated the departure of another 150.
The FCO said information from British companies indicated there may be more than the 170 British workers in remote desert camps previously thought. But it would not be drawn on the exact number for "security reasons".
British Airways and fellow UK carrier bmi, which both usually operate daily flights between Heathrow and Tripoli, have cancelled their Libya services up to and including Monday.
Lessons learned On Friday morning, Prime Minister David Cameron chaired meetings of the National Security Council and the Cobra emergency committee, which includes Foreign Secretary William Hague, Defence Secretary Liam Fox, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Sir David Richards.
Mr Cameron has apologised for the speed of the government's response and said lessons would be learned from it.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "There is a worrying whiff of incompetence about the way this government is handling this issue, and it's become a pattern with this government about the way decisions are made and the way things are handled.
"Frankly, I think Mr Cameron has got to get a grip on the way this Government works."
The numbers for British nationals to call about charter flights out of Libya are 020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 340 3644/45 from Libya.
The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to Libya.
Have you been affected? Do you have relatives in Libya? Send us your comments.
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