More than 50 Belgian nationals arrived in Brussels late Friday night after being evacuated from Lebanon aboard a Dutch-chartered NATO Airbus A330MRTT aircraft (T-60), as tensions in the region continue to rise.
Flight OAN52 from Beirut to Eindhoven carried 185 passengers, including 100 Dutch nationals as well as some Finnish and Irish citizens.
Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, who welcomed the Belgian group, emphasised the government’s swift actions and praised Dutch cooperation. Around 200 Belgians have expressed a desire to leave Lebanon, with 1,800 still remaining.
Additional repatriation flights are planned as needed, with a second flight departing for Beirut on Saturday. Passengers shared fears for their loved ones left behind, as bombardments near Beirut escalate.
