NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP) — Australia and New Zealand sent airplanes to New Caledonia on Tuesday to begin bringing home stranded citizens from the violence-wracked French South Pacific territory.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia had received clearance from French authorities for two flights to evacuate citizens from the archipelago, where indigenous people have long sought independence from France.
Hours later, a Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules touched down in Noumea, the capital. The plane can carry 124 passengers, according to the Defense Department.
“We continue to work on further flights,” Wong wrote on the social media platform X on Tuesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said 300 Australians were in New Caledonia. It did not immediately confirm whether the Australian-organized flights would also evacuate other stranded foreign nationals, believed to number in the thousands.
Related articles:
Related suggestion:
Free child care from higher taxes? These cities subsidize daycareFormer Italian foreign minister convicted for role in sale of Monte Carlo apartmentWalmart shutting down its 51 health care clinics, virtual care serviceDerrick White scores 38, Celtics top Heat 102Blow to Rishi Sunak's hopes for returning more smallHaiti prime minister: transitional council names new leaderAudit finds Wisconsin Capitol Police emergency response times up, calls for better trackingCalifornia's population grew in 2023, halting 3 years of declineBrit living in California shares how expensive it really is to live thereFree child care from higher taxes? These cities subsidize daycare
2.5237s , 6495.671875 kb
Copyright © 2024 Powered by Australia, New Zealand send planes to evacuate nationals from New Caledonia ,Global Genesis news portal