The Dutch contribution to the evacuation mission in Libya
On 22 February 2011, a Dutch KDC-10 transport aircraft evacuated 32 Dutch citizens and 50 citizens from other EU countries. The frigate HNLMS Tromp, which was on its way to participate in the NATO counterpiracy mission off the Somalian coast, was sent to Libya to help with any other evacuations.
In the afternoon of Sunday 27 February 2011, a Lynx helicopter was deployed from HNLMS Tromp to evacuate a Dutch and a Swedish citizen from the city of Sirte. Upon landing on a beach near Sirte, the helicopter crew were taken prisoner by a group of armed supporters of the Gaddafi regime.
The 2 evacuees were released the same day and deported from Libya. The 3 crew members were released in the night of 10 to 11 March 2011. The Lynx stayed behind on the beach of Sirte. Following the end of the Libyan civil war in 2012, the helicopter was transferred to the Libyan capital of Tripoli and handed over to the Netherlands.