Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia start rescue operation

345 students had already been flown out of Egypt while a second batch of 300 students would be flown out later.

CAIRO: The Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia have started evacuating Malaysian students from strife-torn Egypt to Jeddah.

Deputy Foreign Minister A Kohilan Pillay said 345 students had already been flown out of Egypt by MAS at 3pm local time while the second batch of 300 students would be flown out by AirAsia shortly.

They will be sheltered at the Tabung Haji Hostel in Jeddah, he told Bernama here.

Tabung Haji chief executive officer Ismee Ismail said 35 Tabung Haji employees, including seven from Kuala Lumpur, were tasked with arranging the transfer of the students to the hostel in Jeddah.

Meanwhile, AirAsia deputy group chief executive officer Kamarudin Meranun said the airline was awaiting permission from the Cairo aviation authority to fly out more students.

In Abu Dhabi, the Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) had yet to obtain permission from the Saudi Arabian aviation authority for its C130 Hercules aircraft to land in Jeddah.

The aircraft which took off from the Subang RMAF Base at about 9.30pm last night landed at the Abu Dhabi International Airport at noon (Malaysian time) today.

Besides bringing food for the students, the aircraft will also be used to fly out Malaysian students from Cairo to Jeddah.

- Bernama