MEA denies private jet sent to evacuate Lebanese nationals from Turkey

       
Middle East Airlines chairman Mohammed Hout denied on Sunday media outlets stating that his company had sent a private jet to evacuate Lebanese nationals from Turkey following the abduction of two Turkish Airlines crew.          

In this context, Hout said that such reports are wrong, stressing that "the Middle East Airlines is maintaining regular flights to Istanbul and to the Turkish coast".              

“No special planes were sent to Turkey,” Hout added.              

Reports indicated that the Lebanese nationals were being harassed in Turkey following the kidnapping of two Turkish pilots.               

On Friday 9th of August at 3 am, gunmen intercepted a Turkish Airlines bus at Cocodi Bridge in Beirut and kidnapped two crew members, a pilot and a co-pilot, both are Turkish nationals. The bus carrying the crew members was heading from Beirut international airport toward a hotel in Ain El-Mrayseh.