Defence Secretary offers hope on Kabul airlift for ex-Royal Marine's animals and staff

25 August 2021, 08:55

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has given hope to former Royal Marine Paul Farthing that his animals and staff could be airlifted from Kabul after days of campaigning.

It comes after Mr Farthing - known as Pen - fought to get his staff and their families as well as 140 dogs and 60 cats evacuated from the country in a plan he dubbed 'Operation Ark'.

In a series of tweets early on Wednesday, Mr Wallace said that if Mr Farthing arrived at the airport with his staff and animals officials would seek to facilitate their departure aboard a chartered aircraft.

He added that if the charity founder chose not to bring the animals they could board an RAF flight, as all had been granted leave outside the immigration rules to fly to the UK.

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"Now that Pen Farthing's staff have been cleared to come forward under LOTR I have authorised MOD to facilitate their processing alongside all other eligible personnel at (Kabul airport)," Mr Wallace tweeted.

"At that stage, if he arrives with his animals we will seek a slot for his plane.

"If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF flight.

"I have been consistent all along, ensuring those most at risk are processed first and that the limiting factor has been flow THROUGH to airside NOT airplane capacity.

"No one has the right in this humanitarian crisis to jump the queue."

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On Monday, Mr Farthing announced that all of his 68 members of staff and their dependants had been able to get visas from the UK Government, but there had been less success with his animals.

The Defence Secretary had warned that the government was 'prioritising people over pets' in RAF flights out of Kabul, suggesting Mr Farthing leave his animals behind.

However, supporters of Mr Farthing's charity - Nowzad animal shelter - announced on Tuesday that a privately chartered Airbus A330 - funded by donations - was instead on standby to rescue the group's workers and animals.

Mr Wallace insisted that the major problem had been getting people safely into and through the airport, arguing that the chartered plane would merely "block the airfield" and "sit there empty" as the processing of the thousands of people trying to leave Kabul would be prioritised over the airlifting of animals.

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It comes after Mr Wallace told LBC's Nick Ferrari that the claims made by Mr Farthing were "bollocks".

"That's bollocks, Nick!" he said, arguing that Mr Farthing had been contacted and offered a flight out of Kabul.

"I strongly advise him to come to the airport and take a route out."

In response, Mr Farthing told LBC that the Defence Secretary needed to "get his facts straight".

He explained that he only received an email about getting evacuated the previous day and, at the time, had not had any confirmation for his staff.

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Mr Farthing previously suggested the animals be transported in his aircraft's hold and that once his staff were accommodated any spare seats on the plane could be filled by other people cleared for passage by UK authorities, with the flight able to take 250 passengers in total.

Speaking to LBC, he confirmed that he had secured the flight and was happy to "sit on the airfield for a few days" until his plane was able to take off with the animals in the cargo hold.

"The cargo hold is empty - we put the dogs and cats in there!! And 250 people above in the cabin!" Mr Farthing tweeted.

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Earlier, a Nowzad supporter in the UK, veterinary surgeon Dr Iain McGill, had said people were ready to take in the animals once brought to Britain.

"Pen has got transport for all the staff and animals and himself safely to the airport," Dr McGill told the PA news agency.

"In the airport they can wait for a few days until the plane arrives, they just need to get safe. Pen doesn't have that long a window because of the military operation."

Dr McGill said that after the animals and the charity's staff, the remaining 130 seats on the plane would be filled with at-risk Afghans.