French evacuees from Lebanon arrive in Cyprus
A Greek cruise ship carrying about 700 French citizens and other Europeans arrived on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus today after leaving Beirut.
The passengers were taken off the ship in Larnaca and were apparently being taken to a nearby port building. The area around the ship was cordoned off.
The passengers aboard the cruise ship Ierapetra were seen off yesterday by French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, who earlier met his Lebanese counterpart.
France, which ruled Lebanon as a colony until 1943, has more than 20,000 citizens in Lebanon. Most of those who left yesterday were of Lebanese origin.
