U.S. Government Begins Evacuations in Egypt

Evacuations from Egypt for United States citizens began Monday as anti-government protests continued. According to the State Department, the first charter plane carrying United States citizens landed in Cyprus around 2:30 p.m. Forty-two Americans were on that flight. A second plane carrying 177 Americans took off before Egypt’s 3 p.m. curfew and was en route to Athens, Greece.

Janice Jacobs, the assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, warned that the estimated 2,400 looking to leave Egypt “should be prepared for a very long wait.” An estimated 52,000 U.S. citizens are thought to be in Egypt, but only about 2,400 have sought help in leaving. Any Americans looking to leave Egypt are instructed to go to terminal 4 at the Cairo International Airport for U.S. officials to arrange their travel.

Each person must sign papers saying they will reimburse the government for the flight. Once out of Egypt, each person is responsible for their travel arrangements.

Last week the State Department issued a travel alert urging Americans to avoid travel to Cairo and other cities in Egypt. Americans already in Egypt were advised to “remain in their residences or hotels until the situation stabilizes.”

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