Norwegian energy firm Statoil ASA (STO) Friday said nine of its 17 employees who were located at the In Amenas plant have been brought to safety and that situation for the remaining 8 employees remains uncertain.
It was reported on Thursday that some 20 foreign workers were being held hostage by Islamist militants at the natural gas facility in the eastern part of Algeria.
The heavily-armed militants stormed and occupied the complex at In Amenas, about 1,300 kilometer south-east of capital Algiers, early on Wednesday after killing a Briton and an Algerian. The captives included British, Japanese, U.S., French and Norwegian nationals.
The hostages were later rescued by the army on Thursday, resulting in several deaths. Statoil has a stake in the project that has been developed by BP Plc. (BP, BP.L).
In an update on the situation at In Amenas, Statoil said that over the course of the night, one additional employee was brought to safety and is now receiving medical treatment at a hospital in In Amenas.
Three Algerian colleagues who were declared in safety last night were transported from In Amenas to the capital Algiers.
Totally, 40 Statoil employees have now traveled out of Algeria. These employees include personnel from the In Salah facility and the first five employees from In Amenas.
The first plane from Algeria arrived in London on Thursday night with 22 Statoil employees. Most of these employees have now traveled home, while others are at the center for family members in Bergen.
Two more aircraft with 18 Statoil employees on board landed in Palma, Mallorca over the course of Thursday night. These employees are scheduled to fly to Bergen on Friday on a direct charter plane.
A fourth aircraft is scheduled to travel to Algeria on Friday to bring home additional Statoil employees and employees from other companies.
Statoil said it is continuing to work with the Norwegian government and BP to ensure access to medical personnel for the hostages and an effective evacuation from In Amenas.
The stock fell 0.2 percent in Oslo on Thursday to close at 143.50 euros.
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