Evacuation and Assistance for Global Logistics Company Amidst Unrest

Overview

Amidst the escalating conflict in the Middle East, a global logistics process automation company leveraged its Workforce Resilience subscription with International SOS to evacuate one employee and three family members from Beirut. The situation demanded urgent coordination and secure transportation to ensure their safe departure from the conflict area to ensure their safety.

Problem

The escalating conflict in the Middle East, particularly in Beirut, presented significant security risks to the employees of the global logistics company, an International SOS client. The organisation needed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their employee and family members who were  in the conflict zone. With Beirut directly affected by hostilities, the traveller faced increasing risks to their personal safety by staying in Lebanon. The employee had a pre-existing commercial flight booking for 6th October, but was anxious to depart sooner. 

Solution

The client contacted International SOS’ Assistance Centre in Dubai, which covers the Middle East region. Our team of security and logistics experts coordinated a safe and efficient evacuation plan with the support of locally based vetted partners. The efforts included:

• Secure Ground Transport: International SOS activated a vetted security partner on the ground in Beirut to safely transport the four travellers. The group was picked up from a safe location   in Beirut and transferred to the airport, with our regional security team monitoring the situation to ensure safe passage. The routes to and from the safe location to the airport were confirmed by our security partner prior to ground transportation of the travellers.
• Chartered Flight Evacuation: International SOS arranged for a charter flight to evacuate the group from Beirut to Istanbul. Our global network and experience in handling crisis evacuations ensured the flight was arranged swiftly and safely.
• Ground Transportation in Istanbul: Upon arrival in Istanbul, International SOS coordinated ground transportation to safely transfer the group to a hotel of their choosing. Our local expertise in Turkey ensured a seamless transition from the airport to their accommodation.
• 24/7 Risk Monitoring and Assistance: Throughout the evacuation, our Assistance Centre in Dubai provided 24/7 support. We monitored the evolving security situation in Beirut and ensured that the evacuation plan was adjusted in real-time as necessary. Our team kept the client informed at all stages, ensuring full transparency and coordination.
• Global Evacuation Expertise and Security Network: Leveraging our global evacuation capabilities and strong relationships with security partners in conflict zones, International SOS ensured a safe and timely evacuation under challenging conditions. Our local knowledge and crisis response infrastructure were key to executing this evacuation successfully.
  
  

Impact

International SOS successfully evacuated one employee and three family members from Beirut, ensuring their safety amidst the ongoing conflict. The client fulfilled their Duty of Care and commended our ability to rapidly coordinate secure transportation, charter a flight under crisis conditions, and provide continuous risk monitoring. The timeline from the initial assistance call to the Dubai Assistance Centre to the travellers departing Beirut was less than 48 hours. The swift response and expert crisis management allowed the employees to safely leave the conflict zone without delay, demonstrating International SOS’s capabilities in managing evacuations and travel logistics in high-risk environments.