Russian tourists are arriving home from Tunisia in the wake of violent protests that have left dozens of people dead.
The plane carrying 240 passengers left the Tunisian Monastir airport for Moscow at 20 p.m. on Sunday, a spokesman for the Transaero company said.
"The air company has evacuated all the tourists who were to fly in line with the plan, coordinated with the Russian tourism ministry," the spokesman said.
The air space in Tunisia was closed on Friday after the country's interim authorities declared a state of emergency following the riots. On Saturday, the air space was re-opened and major airports resumed their work.
Some 9,000 French and German holidaymakers and 5,000 British travelers have been already evacuated from the North African country, which is a popular tourist destination.
Tunisia plunged into chaos in mid-December, when thousands of people took to the streets to protest the state's economic policies. So far, more than 70 people have been killed and hundreds have been hurt in the riots.
Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled his country after anti-government protests, dubbed the Jasmine Revolution, turned violent on Friday. Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi then took over as Tunisia's interim leader.
However, following the protests against the country's new leader Tunisia's Constitutional Council on Saturday declared parliament speaker Foued Mebazaa as the country's new interim president. The council called for early presidential elections in 60 days.
MOSCOW, January 16 (RIA Novosti)
