A group of 40 Chinese evacuated from riot-torn Libya arrived in Shanghai Thursday on a flight from Egypt's northern city of Alexandria.

The 40 workers arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at around 2 p.m. on Qatar Airways flight QR888, which departed Alexandria on Wednesday.

"The situation there is very critical. People broke into houses, threatening and robbing us with knives and guns," said Xie Guangfu, the first worker to complete entry procedures at the airport.

"We didn't feel safe until we managed to get to the Chinese Embassy in Egypt," he said.

"It's so good to get home! But there are still many foreigners in Libya," said Dong Shubao, 44, a construction worker who began to work in Libya about five months ago.

The workers were dispatched to Libya by China Building Technique Group Co. Ltd. and the company would send them home soon, said Su Juhui, manager of the construction group. Chinese workers evacuated from Libya arrive in Shanghai