A second group of 345 Ghanaian nationals evacuated from South Africa arrived safely at the Accra International Airport (KIA) on Saturday night as government efforts to protect citizens caught up in escalating xenophobic violence continue.

The returnees, many of whom appeared visibly exhausted and emotionally distressed, were received by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ministry of Health (MoH), the immigration authorities and other state agencies.

Their arrival forms part of an emergency evacuation programme launched by the government following reports of renewed attacks against foreign nationals in parts of South Africa.

The violence, which has been accompanied by growing anti-immigrant sentiment, has forced hundreds of migrants, including Ghanaians, to abandon their homes, businesses and places of work in search of safety.

The latest evacuation flight follows the successful repatriation of an earlier group of Ghanaians as authorities work around the clock to facilitate the safe return of citizens who have expressed a desire to leave the affected areas.

Below are photos captured by Multimedia Group Limited's Joseph Odoteye.