Irish authorities to fund Libya evacuation bid

IRISH authorities are to evacuate 1,000 civilians by chartered ship from the besieged Libyan city of Misrata.

Humanitarian group the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) will arrange the emergency mission from the city, which has been under intense fire by forces loyal to president Muammar Gaddafi for almost eight weeks.

Irish Aid is putting up €300,000 to fund the mission and another €200,000 to support the evacuees when the boat arrives at the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.