War-trapped Aussies arrive home on first Dubai flight
Hugs and tears from worried family members greeted tired and exhausted Australians who managed to board the first flight from Dubai.
An emotional Iman Krayem was flanked by her son Youssef and husband Nazih as she touched down in Sydney on a humid Wednesday night.
When Iranian missiles hit the gilded city in response to US and Israeli attacks, he was stranded in the United Arab Emirates for several nights on his way to see his ailing father in Lebanon.
“I was crying non-stop,” she told AAP moments after passing through customs.
“It was very stressful, I had no luggage, no clothes, but I’m happy to be back home now.”
Among the more than 200 arriving passengers was a group of high school students who came to Istanbul for the robot competition.
They were accompanied by several teachers from Baker College, including Daiane Becker, who carried her one-year-old daughter, Clara, on a green rabbit.
“It was really hard not knowing what was going to happen and whether things were going to calm down,” he said.
Aid worker Hawra Khalil was on a humanitarian trip to Lebanon to feed war-torn children in various cities.
Heeding the Australian government’s travel warning, Ms Khalil managed to catch a flight to Dubai, where she and a colleague were grounded.
He said being in a conflict zone where he felt buildings shake for several days in the relative comfort of the Gulf monarchy made him realize what other citizens in Arab countries had been doing in recent years.
“I took a look at this in Dubai and saw tenfold what people in Lebanon go through on a daily basis,” he told AAP.
“It’s scary, you feel threatened, but I find it much easier because what I witness is innocent families and innocent children in hunger and poverty.”
Iran has fired hundreds of drones in recent days targeting American diplomatic and military facilities in several countries, including Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli attacks.
Mining executive Troy Barker landed in Dubai for just one day and spotted drones and missiles on the city’s skyline on Saturday during a popular horse race attended by the Emirati ruler.
“I’ve seen a few missiles, but I’ve been working in Africa for 20 years, so I’ve seen a lot of things,” he said.
He praised the communication from Emirates airlines and officials on the ground, saying he was lucky to be home.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong previously said she was pleased the first flight carrying Australians from Dubai to Sydney had departed as more than 115,000 Australians were stranded in the region.
He revealed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lobbied Emirati president Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to ensure their safe exit.
“We know this is a very difficult time. We are aware of how distressed many people are,” he told reporters in Canberra.
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