With the escalating conflict between Israel and Hizbollah, a team from Westminster Security Group’s Crown Consulting Projects (CCP) are currently in-country in Lebanon, assessing and operating secure accommodation and evacuation routes. We recommend deferring all travel to Lebanon and evacuating all personnel from the country, foreign nationals or Lebanese.
Crown, part of Westminster Security Group, can provide emergency extraction of staff and private citizens from Lebanon.
The operating environment in Lebanon is volatile. Infrastructure within Lebanon was fragile following an extended economic crisis compounded by the recent pandemic. Israeli air strikes are causing further disruption of essential services and generating significant strain on the public sector, transport, logistics, and healthcare.
Crown’s extensive and most recent experience operating in conflict zones includes workforce and private citizen evacuations from Ukraine and East Africa, as well as the provision of ongoing support to organisations throughout the current Israel–Hizbollah conflict. We understand the challenges facing this type of operation, especially when the situation on the ground remains dynamic.
Crown provide a 24/7 assistance hotline from our group owned GSOC (Global Security Operations Centre) based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Our in-country capabilities include:
Please note that our capabilities may change based on the security and operational environment at the time of the request.
Commercial flight availability is now minimal, especially to countries where there is no visa requirement for Lebanese nationals. Although, as of 3rd October at 22:30 local time, Beirut airport is open, the situation could deteriorate with little warning. The airport could close at any moment, or the closure or disruption of roads and exit routes at short notice could affect your ability to reach the airport.
Our evacuation team has already established alternative sea routes for Lebanese nationals to leave Lebanon. The extraction team is on standby to swiftly collect personnel, travel to a pre-designated seaport in Beirut and board personnel to a vessel that will deliver them to Türkiye. Türkiye does not have visa requirements for Lebanese nationals. Although this option is currently open, it cannot be guaranteed indefinitely, and it is getting more expensive as the conflict grows. As of October 3rd 2024, we anticipate a window of no more than seven days.
If you are a British National in Lebanon, we encourage you to book the next available commercial flight to leave, even if it is not a direct route. The FCDO is making additional charter flights available for UK nationals and their families. So, in the absence of commercial flight availability, we advise UK nationals in Lebanon to take one of these flights as soon as possible.
Although the airport is open for now, the situation could deteriorate with little warning. The airport could close at any moment, or the closure or disruption of roads and exit routes at short notice could affect your ability to reach the airport. The FCDO may not be able to evacuate you in an emergency. Our evacuation team has already established alternative sea routes for UK nationals to leave Lebanon. The extraction team is on standby to swiftly collect personnel, travel to a pre-designated seaport in Beirut and board personnel to a vessel that will deliver them to Turkey. Turkey does not have visa requirements for British nationals. Although this option is currently open, it cannot be guaranteed indefinitely, and it is getting more expensive as the conflict grows. As of October 3rd 2024, we anticipate a window of no more than seven days.
Please contact us for advice.
Crown, part of Westminster Security Group, can provide emergency extraction of staff and private citizens from Lebanon.
Crown Consulting (Projects) Ltd, known as Crown Consulting or CCP, provides risk-mitigated solutions and resourcing requirements globally for security-related projects in the private, public, and defence sectors. Based in the UK, with regional hubs in Central America, East Africa, and East Europe, we consistently deliver successful consultancy, operational, journey management, and traditional close protection services. We are compliant with various industry frameworks and backed by decades of task-orientated experience.
CCP is ISO:9001 and Cyber Essentials certified. We adhere to ISO:31000 (Risk Management) and ISO:31030 (Travel Risk Management).
Our team and personnel are predominantly former UK military elite and special forces with multi-discipline backgrounds, enabling us to provide customer-focused solutions and making us a ‘go-to’ solution for risk mitigation strategies, advisory services, and operational tradecraft. We have provided the means for our clients to continue their work and lives in otherwise risk-rich environments. Our mission statement: “to fortify and sustain, no matter the circumstance”.
Crown Consulting is part of the Westminster Security Group.