PETALING JAYA: The first evacuation of Malaysian students from Cairo to Saudi Arabia will begin by Thursday at the latest.
The Government is despatching two C130 RMAF aircraft Wednesday to Cairo and fly the students to Jeddah.
National Security Council secretary Datuk Thajuddeen Abdul Wahab, who is in Egypt to coordinate the evacuation, said that he was informed the RMAF aircraft would leave Kuala Lumpur at noon Wednesday.
"We are waiting for the green light from the Saudi government to issue temporary visas to our students. We hope everything can be done by today.
"A C130 can accommodate at least 150 passengers, so we are hoping to evacuate some 300 by early tomorrow," he told The Star.
Thajuddeen also said Malaysian officials in Cairo had managed to facilitate the return of 150 students via commercial flights on Tuesday night.
"They should arrive in Kuala Lumpur anytime now."
He said the Malaysian Embassy had sent nasi goreng and mineral water to students stranded at the Cairo airport.
"The RMAF aircraft will also be taking foodstuff, including rice, curry powder, cooking oil, milk formula and dried chillies to Cairo," he added.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that the two RMAF C130 aircraft would be leaving for Cairo on Wednesday afternoon.
He also said that the Royal Malaysian Navy's auxiliary ship, Bunga Mas 5, would arrive at the port of Adabiyah on Saturday to help in the evacuation of Malaysian students.
"The ship can accommodate about 500 passengers. The students will be taken to Jeddah," he added.
Adabiyah is about a two hours' drive from Cairo.
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