Australia, New Zealand send planes to evacuate nationals from New Caledonia
NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP) — Australia and New Zealand sent airplanes to New Caledonia on Tuesday to begin bringing home stranded citizens from the violence-wracked French South Pacific territory.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia had received clearance from French authorities for two flights to evacuate citizens from the archipelago, where indigenous people have long sought independence from France.
Hours later, a Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules touched down in Noumea, the capital. The plane can carry 124 passengers, according to the Defense Department.
“We continue to work on further flights,” Wong wrote on the social media platform X on Tuesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said 300 Australians were in New Caledonia. It did not immediately confirm whether the Australian-organized flights would also evacuate other stranded foreign nationals, believed to number in the thousands.
Related articles
Colton Herta shows speed as Honda fights back in penultimate Indy 500 practice session
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colton Herta and Andretti Global showed Monday that the Honda teams at the India2024-05-22- An 'extremely rare' killer whale calf named 'Frosty' after its milky all-white skin has been spotted2024-05-22
PSG defender Lucas Hernández injured in Champions League semifinal first leg at Dortmund
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain defender Lucas Hernández had to go off injured during t2024-05-22Bernie Williams to raise awareness of lung disease at May 3 event in Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Fresh off his New York Philharmonic debut, former New York Yankees cent2024-05-22Trump film shocks Cannes as former US President is depicted 'raping' his then
Presidential candidate Donald Trump is sensationally depicted raping his wife Ivana in a film which2024-05-22Panthers head back to work, resting and waiting for Bruins
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — All players and coaches were at work on Wednesday at the Florida Panthe2024-05-22
atest comment