Lebanon: 4 ships to evacuate Indians

Four naval warships have been kept on standby off Lebanon's Mediterranean coast to carry out the evacuation of 12,000 Indian nationals living in war-torn Lebanon, if needed.

Destroyer INS Mumbai, guided-missile frigates INS Betwa and INS Brahmaputra and the auxiliary fleet tanker INS Shakti have been moved to the Lebanese coast, naval sources said.

The sources said the government would work out the possible evacuation with Israeli authorities.

The four warships, which were on an overseas deployment since mid-June, have been diverted and are on standby for a possible evacuation of Indians.

The warships can carry 800 to 1000 people in one trip.