Airlift out of Dacca allowed

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32788, 13 December 1971, Page 1

Airlift out of Dacca allowed

/N.Z. Press Association— Copyright}

CALCUTTA, December 12.

About 100 tired but happy people, mostly women and children, arrived in Calcutta today, the first foreigners to be taken out from the embattled East " Pakistan capital of Dacca by a shuttle of three British cargo planes, United Press International reported.

The first plane in the airlift of an estimated 1 600 foreigners who were < trapped in Dacca touched < down at Calcutta’s Dum 1 Dum Airport at 11 a.m. 1 and was followed soon ( after by the two other j planes. i The Pakistan Government ( reversed its earlier decision and allowed the three Royal . Air Force Hercules trans- ‘ ports to land at Dacca after , two unsuccessful attempts yesterday. I

The Royal Canadian Air Force plane which made the attempt with the British aircraft yesterday, flew out of Calcutta this morning for Bangkok and did not take part in today’s mercy flights. The four-engined transports circled over Dacca at 7000 feet for more than 30 minutes before the airport control tower radioed clearance to land. The planes kept their engines running, while they were loaded with women and children and later with men. Armed Indian security guards kept the large group of foreign newsmen out of Calcutta’s airport while British Overseas Airways Corporation staff helped evacuees through customs and immigration procedures. Evacuees filed from the planes across the airport apron to an arrival hall where Indian security police checked to ensure the passengers were bona fide civilians.