TO Manuel de Santiago Freda / Correspondent in Spain

Two Mexican Air Force planes took off from Tel Aviv, Israel this Sunday morning. They landed in Madrid, Spain, with 158 nationals on board. which marks the start of the airlift organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) to evacuate Mexicans from the conflict zone.

FAM3528, which departed Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport at 11:46 a.m. (2:46 a.m. Mexico Central Time), landed at Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suarez International Airport at 15:37 (7:37 Central Mexico time). 75 people arrived on this flight, including three minors.

Second aircraft with 83 people on board, FAM3527, left the Israeli airport at 12:15 (3:15 Mexico Central Time) and landed in Madrid at 16:00 (08:00 Mexico Central Time). There were six minors on this flight.

Passengers are received by the Mexican Ambassador to Spain. Quirino Ordaz Koppel, who stressed that the Tel Aviv-Madrid air transport was created “to expedite the departure of the greatest number of people who request it, giving priority to those in vulnerable situations.”

He noted that this a “joint effort” involving the Mexican embassies and all the personnel who work there, among them are consulates and military attaches.

“The logistics of this entire deployment require careful coordination to obtain flight permits, special access, contacts and cooperation with dozens of local and international institutions. All this to conduct strong, consistent diplomacy close to the people,” he said.

General, 158 Mexicans were evacuated this Sunday from Israel so that in Spain they can decide in safety how to return to Mexico. Of these, 80 were men, 69 women and 9 minors.

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For consideration of applications for air flights Tel Aviv-Madrid, applicants They need to register in the form at the following link.

Interested parties must complete one form per person, including girls, boys and all minors.

The Government will give priority to people in vulnerable situations: girls, boys and teenagers; people who are injured, injured or have illnesses; older people, people with disabilities and pregnant women.

“Upon completion of the evacuation of air transport between Israel and Spain, Two Mexican Air Force planes will return to the country only oncewith the total occupation of Mexicans seeking repatriation, according to the same criteria of need based on a state of vulnerability.”