Some Ghanaians stranded in the United Arab Emirates have appealed to the government for urgent evacuation after security incidents disrupted operations at airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The disruptions follow attacks across the Middle East after Iran launched retaliatory strikes in response to coordinated military operations by the United States and Israel. Reports indicate that the incidents caused fatalities and injuries at Dubai International Airport and Zayed International Airport, prompting the suspension of numerous flights and widespread travel disruptions.
Ghanaian nationals in the UAE have expressed concern and said they have not received adequate communication from local authorities or the Ghanaian government regarding evacuation plans.
One of the stranded Ghanaians, blogger Felix Adomako Mensah, popularly known as ZionFelix, told Channel One TV and Citi FM presidential correspondent, Akosua Otchere on the Point of View on Monday, March 2, that they are living in fear and urgently need assistance.
He noted that while Emirates staff had recorded their details and provided limited updates, no government official had contacted them. The stranded Ghanaians are calling on authorities to arrange safe passage back to Ghana as tensions in the region continue to escalate and flight schedules remain uncertain.
“I have not got any brief from any local authority. No government official has reached out to us in the hotel. It’s the Emirates staff that we mostly deal with; they contacted us and recorded our details. They told us they don’t know when we will be flying.
“We want to leave, so we are calling on the government to come to our aid and evacuate us to Ghana. We’re ever ready to leave. Inasmuch as we are safe, because they are trying to solve the issue. I’m still living in fear concerning how things are escalating within the region,” he said.
On Sunday, March 1, authorities in Abu Dhabi confirmed a drone targeting Zayed International Airport (AUH) was intercepted, leading to “falling debris” killing one person and injuring seven.
Dubai International Airport (DXB) – the world’s busiest by passenger traffic – was damaged in an “incident” that injured four staff, according to authorities, who did not give further details.
Thousands of flights were grounded to and from the region, in one of the most serious disruptions to global travel since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Across the Gulf, Iran used ballistic missiles and drones to launch large-scale attacks on US allies and assets, after Iran’s supreme leader was killed in the ongoing US-Israel air offensive launched on Saturday morning, February 28.
