Beijing - Two Chinese navy vessels have successfully evacuated a first batch of 678 people from Sudan, who arrived at the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah at around 3 p.m. Thursday Beijing time, according to an official statement.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's guided-missile destroyer Nanning and comprehensive supply ship Weishanhu were dispatched to Sudan on Wednesday Beijing time for emergency evacuation.

The vessels carried a shipboard helicopter and over 490 officers and soldiers, including dozens of special forces members. The first batch of evacuated personnel consists of 668 Chinese citizens and 10 people of other nationalities.

This is the third time the PLA Navy dispatched vessels to carry out an overseas evacuation task, following evacuations from Libya in 2011 and Yemen in 2015.