British officials who have been working on the operation are expected to be on board another RAF plane due to leave Port Sudan later on Wednesday.

The airlift - which has seen more than 2,300 people rescued in the last eight days - is in its final stages.

Those rescued include Britons, their dependents, Sudanese NHS staff and other eligible nationalities.

Sudan has been plunged into crisis after fighting broke out between rival military factions battling for control of Africa's third largest country.

Hundreds have been killed, according to official figures, but it is feared the actual death toll is much higher, and tens of thousands have already been displaced in a growing humanitarian crisis.

The UK government joined other countries in evacuating citizens from Sudan after the commercial airport was taken out of action by fighting and communication networks went down.

Initial evacuation flights organised by the British military left from an airstrip close to the capital Khartoum, but the operation was moved to the eastern coastal city of Port Sudan which has been less affected by fighting.

It was previously thought the evacuation had ended on Monday when planes left Sudan for Cyprus.

But any remaining eligible people wanting to leave the country were told to get to the leaving point by 10:00 local time (09:00 BST) on Wednesday for the final departures.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said there would be "no further British evacuation flights" from the city.

Despite criticism the UK government was slow to start its evacuation, the Foreign Office says it has now overseen "the longest and largest operation of any Western nation".

Diplomats were also rescued in an earlier operation involving special forces after fighting broke out around the embassy.

Two British vessels have been sent to Port Sudan to assist with any future evacuation of humanitarian response.