The Australian government has deployed six “crisis response” teams to the Middle East to help deal with the consulate overload caused by the huge number of Australians stranded by the conflict that has spread far and wide in the region.
Foreign minister Penny Wong said on Wednesday the best way for Australians to get home was via commercial flights.
While Wong said the government was working on a number of contingency arrangements, it has not yet raised the prospect of using military or government-chartered planes for repatriation. But sources said their limited use might be an option for vulnerable people.
