Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines will send two chartered flights to Malta Friday to pick up Chinese nationals evacuated from Libya, sources with the airline said.One flight would depart from Shanghai Pudong International Airport and the other from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport after 6 p.m., said an airline spokesman.

The flights would take about 13 hours to the Mediterranean island nation, he said.The airline would send another six chartered flights in following days to evacuate Chinese nationals from the unrest in the north African nation.The eight flights are expected to evacuate 2,100 Chinese from Libya, the spokesman said.So far, the Chinese government has sent two chartered flights to evacuate its nationals from Libya, carrying task groups and emergency relief materials.The first chartered flight with 224 Chinese on board touched down at the Beijing International Airport at 2:15 a.m. local time Friday.The second chartered flight with 227 Chinese on board has also arrived in Beijing on Friday morning.About 12,000 Chinese nationals had so far been evacuated from Libya, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao said early Friday.