§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force in Eritrea. [46095]
§ Mr. George RobertsonAt 0730 on the morning of Saturday 6 June, following a request from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, an RAF C-130 Hercules aircraft left RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire for Eritrea with a party of 18 Royal Marines on board to conduct an evacuation of UK citizens stranded by the fighting there. After refuelling in Crete, the aircraft arrived in Asmara late in the evening and spent an hour on the ground during which time the Royal Marines, carrying light weapons, helped to marshal evacuees and provide protection. The aircraft picked up the remaining 40 or so UK citizens who wished to leave, together with the Honorary Consul as well as around 60 other foreign nationals.