Chinese warship carrying evacuees from Yemen arrives in Djibouti

A Sri Lankan national embraces a crew member of the Chinese Linyi missile frigate in Djibouti, on April 7, 2015. A total of 38 Chinese nationals and 45 Sri Lankans evacuated by the Chinese frigate from Yemen arrived in Djibouti early Tuesday.[Photo/Xinhua]

DJIBOUTI - A Chinese navy ship carrying 83 Chinese and Sri Lankan nationals evacuated from Yemen arrived Tuesday morning at the Port of Djibouti.

Aboard Linyi missile frigate were the last batch of Chinese nationals and staff members of the Chinese Embassy, plus 45 Sri Lankan citizens.

It is the fourth evacuation mission organized by the Chinese government since Saudi-led coalition forces launched airstrikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The vessel left Yemen's western port of al-Hodayda and arrived here after an almost 12-hour voyage.

The evacuated Chinese will travel on to China on a commercial flight later in the day.

"The security situation has worsened in Sanaa these days. There was almost constant bombing during daytime and explosions could also be heard at night ... But the moment I embarked on Linyi, my nerves were at ease. We are really grateful for what the government has done for us," an engineer from a Chinese construction company told Xinhua after getting off the ship.