Activity connected to the evacuation of expatriates from Libya continued to pick up overnight as Malta braces to handle possibly thousands of workers from various countries who will stopover here before going home.

Among the arrivals over the past few hours was a Hellenic Imperial Boeing 747, which landed in Malta and then departed for Tripoli, a Kuwaiti Air Force jet and an aircraft of the Swedish Air Force.

A Royal Air Force Hercules transport aircraft which arrived yesterday, took off this morning for Tripoli after congestion in that airport eased. Another two RAF aircraft are expected in Malta today.

The government has accepted requests for Malta to be used as a transit point for nationals of the UK, Germany, Austria, Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam and, crucially, China, which is understood to have 35,000 workers in Libya.

The Chinese government is organising a small flotilla to help evacuate its nationals – 13,000 of whom are believed to be around Benghazi – partly through Malta. A small number of Maltese in Benghazi may join them.

Even the southern-African state of Zambia has asked for this sort of assistance.

In return, the government wants help in the transportation of some 183 Maltese citizens still stranded in Libya. The Prime Minister told Parliament last night this was the government’s number one priority, ahead of the protection of Malta’s substantial business interests, for the time being.

The bulk of Maltese citizens, about 100, are based in Tripoli. The situation in the city is chaotic, with some 13,000 people clogging the airport, struggling to get in or buy a ticket, however, people are trickling out of the country.

A total of 148 passengers, including 55 Maltese nationals, returned on the afternoon Air Malta flight, which landed late in the afternoon after facing delays. A second flight that was scheduled to leave at 8 p.m. did not depart for “logistical reasons”, according to a source. The flight is now expected to be operated this morning.