Updated

A second planeload of Chinese citizens evacuated from Libya has arrived in Beijing.

China's official Xinhua News Agency says 227 people were aboard the chartered flight that arrived in the capital early Friday. About 12,000 Chinese nationals have been evacuated from the strife-torn Northern African country, including 224 who arrived home on an earlier chartered flight.

Others are being pulled out by bus or by boat, including 4,500 who were whisked to the Greek island of Crete on Thursday over churning seas.

Roughly 30,000 Chinese were believed to be in Libya when fighting broke out there earlier this month.

Xinhua also said China was diverting a navy ship from anti-piracy patrols to escort the evacuation ships.