Canada reaffirmed its advice to Canadians in Lebanon to take advantage of commercial flights to leave the country, recalling that citizens will not be able to count on the government for evacuation if the conflict intensifies.
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“The Government of Canada is unable to guarantee the safety of people when they go to the airport. It is the responsibility of travelers to assess the security conditions of their itineraries and to follow the instructions of local authorities,” recalled Global Affairs Canada, in a press release sent on Saturday.
Global Affairs said that fewer and fewer Canadians and permanent residents were requesting seats on flights coordinated by the Government of Canada.
“As the Government of Canada has advised since October 2023, if armed conflict escalates, it could impact the ability of individuals to leave the country by commercial means. Canadians should not rely on the Government of Canada for evacuation,” it was clarified.
In the event that evacuation is necessary, it will only be offered to Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Lebanon, as well as their accompanying spouses and dependent children. All eligible travelers must have valid travel documents and evacuation would take place to a third safe location, at the expense of the person traveling, recalled Global Affairs.
“Travelers will be responsible for expenses related to evacuation, including transportation, meals and accommodation, as well as continued travel to Canada from a third place of safety,” he said. it was added.
Since September 29, the Government of Canada has coordinated commercial flight options through block bookings with Middle East Airlines (MEA) and charter flights for a total of 13 flights, allowing free up more than 3,200 seats and allow a total of 1,411 passengers to travel to Istanbul (Turkey), Larnaca (Cyprus) and Doha (Qatar).
More than 1,100 Canadians and permanent residents and their families have taken advantage of these departure options.
Canadians who require emergency consular assistance in Lebanon should contact Global Affairs Canada by email at [email protected]. Missions in the region will remain open 24/7 over the long weekend to help Canadians.
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