Cruise passengers stranded in Abu Dhabi have told of the terrifying moment that crew told them to shelter inside as war between the US and Israel and Iran erupted over the weekend.
Nicole Gurske, 34, and her boyfriend had been exploring the Middle East on TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4. The couple said they were visiting Abu Dhabi on the weekend when they were urgently called back on board.
On Saturday, the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They have continued to pound the country since, with US president Donald Trump warning the worst is still yet to come.
Meanwhile, Tehran has hit back with retaliatory strikes against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The conflict has sparked panic in the region. Regions previously considered safe havens in the Middle East, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have come under fire.
Stranded tourists like Ms Gurske have been scrambling to find flights home after the conflict caused widespread airspace closures in the Middle East.
Speaking about the moment that the strikes began, the 34-year-old from Wuppertal in Germany, told USA TODAY: “They said we have to stay inside, not go [to] the pool, outside or on the balcony.”
Ms Gurske said she has now been stuck in Abu Dhabi for days. She was supposed to travel home on Sunday but her flight was cancelled, and she has rebooked for Friday.
Some commercial flights are operating from Dubai and Abu Dhabi but the vast majority are cancelled because of airspace restrictions caused by the conflict.
Meanwhile, Ms Gurske said she is on board the ship with her fellow guests and attempting to continue as normal. She said she went to the gym and breakfast on Wednesday, when just the day before she heard a “very big explosion” outside. Guests are allowed to leave the ship if they notify crew, according to Ms Gurske, but she has chosen not to.
On Sunday, TUI Cruises said its Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 ships in the region are operating as normally as possible with about 5,000 guests safe and cared for. The company has cancelled several cruises set to begin between Saturday and Thursday and is working closely with airlines and authorities to organise reliable return arrangements.
TUI Cruises is among the major travel operators to have announced significant disruptions to their Middle East itineraries amid the conflict.
About 30,000 holidaymakers from German tour operators were affected by the situation in the region, the German travel association (DRV) said on Sunday.
Some countries are organising government-chartered flights to bring their citizens back safely from the Middle East.
The first flight chartered by the UK government to bring back stranded Britons did not take off from Oman on Wednesday due to “technical issues”, but is due to depart later on Thursday.
Some 130,000 Britons have registered their presence in the Middle East and the Foreign Office has said it is working with airlines to bring them back.
Source: independent.co.uk