The governments of Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday said they would send planes to New Caledonia to assist departures of their citizens after days of violent unrest in the French overseas territory.
"We've received clearance for two Australian government assisted-departure flights today for Australian and other tourists to depart New Caledonia," Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on social media platform X.
"Passengers are being prioritised based on need. We continue to work on further flights," Wong added.
The New Zeland Foreign Ministry said that a government plane would be arriving in New Caledonia on Tuesday to carry 50 passengers most in need of assistance from Nouméa to Auckland.
"New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days - and bringing them home has been an urgent priority for the Government," Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
"In cooperation with France and Australia, we are working on subsequent flights in coming days," Peters said.
After days of serious unrest in New Caledonia, the situation appears to be easing.
Six people have been killed so far in the riots on the island 1,500 kilometres east of Australia and over 200 people have been detained.
The background to the protests by those in favour of independence for the archipelago are planned electoral reforms emanating from Paris. The changes would give French residents the right to vote in provincial elections if they have lived there for 10 years.
However, the Kanak population group in particular - New Caledonia's Indigenous inhabitants - have long hoped for their own state. The national council of the Kanaks accused Paris of pushing ahead with the controversial reform without taking into account the resistance of the vast majority of the Indigenous population.
The former French colony had already gained extensive autonomy through the Nouméa Agreement of 1998. Paris is currently trying to conclude a new agreement with the political forces in the geopolitically and militarily significant territory.