Emirates flights have begun arriving to transport passengers stranded in the Maldives due to the closure of airports in Middle Eastern countries following the outbreak of escalating conflicts in the Middle East.
During a press conference held at the President's Office, Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen stated that an Emirates aircraft arrived at Velana International Airport last night to collect passengers.
Minister Ameen further noted that an additional Emirates flight is scheduled to arrive tonight.
Emirates is an airline that operates a high frequency of flights between the Maldives and Dubai. Ameen explained that flight operations are currently being conducted within a very narrow corridor at UAE’s Dubai Airport and Sharjah Airport, including routes to the Maldives.
"The thing we need to consider most at this moment is Doha International Airport, which is one of the airports operating the most direct flights to Maldives. That airport is still closed," Ameen said.
Ameen also mentioned that some scheduled flights, along with special trips, have resumed at Oman’s Muscat Airport.
Following the attacks initiated by Israel and the United States against Iran last Saturday, Iran retaliated by attacking US military bases located in various Middle Eastern countries.
Furthermore, Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the US attacks.
Due to the closure of various countries' airspace following these attacks, flights from many airlines traveling to the Maldives were canceled, leaving a large number of tourists stranded at Velana International Airport, unable to depart.
