internationalsos.com - Press releases
International SOS evacuates more clients from Lebanon20 July 2006London
International SOS has evacuated another 114 clients from Beirut to Damascus. This is the third in a series of company organised evacuations that started last Saturday. Onward travel for the latest evacuees is being organised to nearby Cyprus, Jeddha and as far afield as the USA.
Des Donnelly from the International SOS Client Liaison team on the ground in Larnaca says, “The evacuation operation has been a complex one. Our Lebanon Crisis Management team – numbering 50 people across different alarm centres and on the ground - have worked round the clock to achieve the mission of providing support to our clients and moving them to a safe environment. “An operation such as this is never easy for the evacuees and International SOS has made every effort to ensure their comfort and security. Our security specialists travel with them to provide reassurance and advice, we find accommodation in Damascus and Larnaca, and provide refreshments, as well as colouring books and crayons for the children on the long journey.” Dr Ghazi Ghanem from the University of Texas who was evacuated said: “I am grateful that I am out of harm’s way and in safe hands and relieved that my organisation is a member of International SOS.” Bob Rushton, Regional Security Director for International SOS, who has been directing the operation from London, comments: “We are continuing to monitor the situation and providing support to members with staff and family remaining in Lebanon. International SOS is also working closely with the Foreign Commonwealth Office in their evacuation of other British nationals out of Lebanon.” International SOS teams have carried out evacuation operations over the last week on the ground in Beirut, Damascus and Larnaca. They have been working closely with local providers on the ground, International SOS regional alarm centres in London, Paris, Philadelphia and its security centre in Dubai, as well as aviation organisations to successfully escort clients to safety, through a combination of overland transport and charter aircraft. This was only done following a thorough risk assessment, which included careful route reconnaissance by our security specialists on the ground and close liaison with consular staff and international agencies. International SOS’ Travel Locator Service (TLS), an internet based service enabling clients to proactively track their current and future travellers globally, experienced a 300% increase in logins when the Lebanon and Israel conflict escalated last Tuesday, July 11. Clients logged on to gauge the current exposure of their employees to the situation. For further information, please call: Reena Pabari on + 44 (0) 7739 079 146 or Ian Hawkins on +44 (0) 7885 107 649 Note to Editors International SOS has global operations in over 65 countries, spanning five continents. The company provides clients with a comprehensive portfolio of medical and security services to ensure that people travelling and working internationally have access to immediate help. International SOS' services range from 24-hour medical advice, referrals to qualified doctors and hospitals as well as provision of emergency medical and security evacuations when there is a critical illness, accident or civil unrest. Last year, the company handled over 780,000 assistance cases, including more than 14,000 medical evacuations. |
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