OTTAWA — The federal government is ready to start flying Canadians out of embattled Libya.
Some boarded a vessel in Tripoli harbour on Wednesday, along with Americans, Britons and others.
But the airlift to safety is scheduled to begin in earnest on Thursday.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff chided the Conservative government for being slow to evacuate people. He said it has short-changed Foreign Affairs and is paying the price.
“It’s always the same story, we need diplomats in place to help Canadians when they find themselves in trouble,” he said in Montreal. “Now we’re seeing the fruits of this government’s neglect of Canadian diplomacy.
Foreign Affairs says 344 Canadians are registered with the embassy in Tripoli and at least 91 have said they want out.
A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said final arrangements had been concluded to start the evacuation by air.
Lynn Meahen said landing rights for the plane have been approved and Canadians registered with the embassy are being contacted with details of the evacuation. The Skylink aircraft will take the evacuees to Rome.
Cannon has strongly urged Canadians to leave the North African country, which has been rocked by violent protests against the rule of Moammar Gadhafi. Open fighting has broken out in some parts of the country, with militia loyal to Gadhafi clashing with protesters.
Canada is also weighing whether to impose sanctions against Libya, as are the United States and the European Union, said Meahen.
“We are currently considering all options,” she said.
News reports from Ottawa said Ihab Nuri El-Mismari, a counsellor at the Libyan embassy, has resigned in opposition to his government’s actions at home.
Some Canadians may be trapped in the eastern part of Libya, including the city of Benghazi. Protesters claim to have seized control of several cities in the region.
“The government of Canada is currently looking at options to assist the departure of Canadians from the Benghazi area and will provide information as soon as it becomes available,” the embassy said in an email to those on its registry.
Michael Muirhead of Calgary is among those caught in Benghazi. His wife Sheila has been waiting by the phone hoping to hear from him.
“I haven’t been able to get through to Mike since yesterday afternoon so I don’t have an update,” she said Wednesday.
“I know that they’re trying to get a flight into Tripoli for Thursday and that they’re looking at other options. But it’s basically how do you get from Benghazi to Tripoli? That’s the thing.”
She said she is worried and disappointed that her husband is stranded in the remote region.
Priority on the Tripoli evacuation flight is being given to Canadian citizens, their spouses and children, as well as those with permanent Canadian residence status.
Foreign Affairs is also talking to other countries, including France, the U.S., the U.K., Australia and New Zealand about sharing space on evacuation flights.
The embassy is advising people to get to Tripoli airport by noon Thursday.
Each person can bring one piece of luggage with a maximum weight of 20 kilograms.
The evacuation flight costs $500 a seat, but the evacuees don’t have to pony up the money on the spot, they can simply sign an agreement to repay the government.
The embassy said foreign residents are being allowed to leave the country without obtaining the usual exit visa.
For those wishing to stay, the embassy is urging caution, especially for those in the eastern part of Libya.
The embassy urged people staying in the country to keep a one-week supply of food, water and cooking fuel on hand, as well as some form of emergency lighting. Vehicles should be kept fuelled.