New Delhi: Amidst the increasing US-Iran conflict in West Asia, the process of safe return of Indians from UAE has started. On Monday night, one of the first evacuation flights from Abu Dhabi landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, carrying more than 300 Indian citizens.
This moment was very emotional for the passengers and their families who returned to India after the heat of conflict reached UAE. There were tears in the eyes of the families at the airport, flowers in their hands and smiles of relief on their faces as if the worries of many days had ended in a single moment.
Etihad flight EY 216 lands in Delhi
Etihad Airlines flight EY 216 from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates landed at Delhi’s Terminal 3 at 8:30 pm on Monday night. This was one of four special evacuation flights operated by Etihad to India. Other flights reached Mumbai (7:40 pm), Bengaluru (9:45 pm) and Kochi (10:10 pm). Many flights of other airlines are also proposed in the coming days.
Emotional moment at the airport, tears in eyes
The anxiety of the families waiting for their relatives at the T-3 terminal of Delhi Airport ended when the passengers came out of the gate. 55-year-old Vinod Sharma told that his son was stuck in Abu Dhabi since Saturday. He said, "We were extremely scared because he told us that he had heard and seen missiles being intercepted above his hotel. We were continuously tracking her flight and got relief only when it entered Indian airspace."
Hugging her daughter, Danishta Parveen, 50, said her 26-year-old daughter, who is a member of the Etihad Missile Service, had not returned on the scheduled date. He said, "She was supposed to come on 28th February, but she could not come. He told that the walls of the airport were shaking due to the missiles. Tomorrow is her birthday too, so I am happy that she is back and can celebrate her birthday with us."
Passengers narrated their horrifying ordeal
Passengers who returned to India also mentioned the horrific environment they faced. Shashi Parma (52) said while wiping tears, "I am extremely relieved to be back in Delhi with my children and for the first time in two days I am feeling safe."
Rahul Kumar (42) told that this experience was very scary for him. He said, "We saw missiles falling in the sky many times. We also felt the debris of the same missiles falling on our hotel."
Abu Dhabi airport also damaged
Abu Dhabi International Airport was also hit by drone and missile attacks carried out by Iran over the weekend in response to US and Israeli attacks. One person died and many people were injured in this attack.
Due to increasing tension in West Asia, flight operations at Delhi’s IGIA were affected for the third consecutive day on Monday. At least 87 international flights were canceled due to restrictions on regional airspace, while more than 200 domestic and international flights were delayed.
Signs of improvement in flights
Some improvement in the situation was seen on Monday as compared to Sunday. On Sunday, 104 flights were canceled and more than 400 flights were delayed. An airport official said that the 87 flights canceled included 37 departures and 50 arrivals.
Temporary visas were issued to allow some international travelers to exit the terminal. The officer said, "This has led to some improvement in the situation at the ground level. Airlines are informing passengers in advance, so that they do not reach the airport."
More than 200 flights delayed
According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, more than 200 flights were delayed as of 4 pm on Monday, including about 175 departures. The average delay time was 12 minutes, whereas on Sunday it was around 25 minutes.
Delhi Airport gave information on social media platform "Due to ongoing political developments in the Middle East, westbound international flights may be delayed or adjusted."
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