Britain's first chartered repatriation flight from Oman has been rescheduled following a series of technical and operational issues, the Foreign Office said in a statement on Thursday. The government had chartered a flight from Muscat to London which was due to leave on Wednesday evening.
Authorities said that the aircraft could not depart on time, but officials said it's expected to leave later in the day on Thursday for British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, with the most vulnerable people having priority.
Speaking to Sky News, Alex Norris, a minister in the interior ministry, said there were also delays in getting passengers on board as part of the operational challenges.
Earlier, Britain's Foreign Office said Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper had spoken with the head of Emirates and was due to speak with British Airways later on Wednesday about flight plans out of Dubai, as Britain leans on commercial airlines to help bring its citizens home.
Oman has emerged as a primary extraction hub in the Middle East due to the widespread airspace closures and security threats which have severely disrupted major transit centres such as Dubai and Doha.
Hundreds of thousands of people remain stranded across the Gulf states after military strikes involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran which began at the weekend.
The British government estimates that approximately 300,000 of its citizens are currently in the region. This figure includes individuals who are permanently based in the Gulf, tourists on holiday, and passengers caught in transit during the sudden airspace closures.
Commercial airlines are also struggling to maintain schedules amid the regional security crisis. British Airways announced it is currently unable to operate flights from major airports, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman, and Tel Aviv. To assist with the departure of stranded citizens, the airline is running alternative flights out of Muscat on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though these routes are already fully booked according to officials.
Some marooned tourists and expatriates have also tried to make their own way out.
"We're doing this cautiously," said French Finance Minister Roland Lescure. The French government said several repatriation flights were planned for Wednesday for its citizens, around 400,000 of whom are in the region.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had authorised the use of military aircraft to support the evacuation of Polish citizens from the Middle East.
Italy's foreign ministry said it had deployed additional staff to Oman and the United Arab Emirates to support the repatriation of Italian citizens.
The Czech Republic has organised three government evacuation flights from Oman, Jordan and Egypt, bringing home 175 people, with more operations planned. Airline Smartwings is also operating return flights from Oman and Dubai, according to the CTK news agency and a government official.
Slovakia said it had evacuated 127 people, mostly Slovak citizens, along with four Czechs and one Kazakh national, on two flights from Jordan that landed on Tuesday, and was preparing additional missions.
Global leaders and diplomats have gathered in southern Türkiye for the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, focusing on uncertainty, conflict and th...
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a Saturday statement that the Strait of Hormuz has...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia and Russia have agreed to continue implementing previously reached agreements in the military-...
Global leaders have gathered in Antalya Diplomacy Forum, with discussions centred on geopolitical uncertainty and international cooper...
The Trump administration extended a sanctions exemption on some Russian oil as prices continue to skyrocket in the wake of the U.S.- Israeli war ag...
Global leaders and diplomats have gathered in southern Türkiye for the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, focusing on uncertainty, conflict and the future of global cooperation.
Leaders from across Europe and beyond gathered in Paris on Friday for a summit aimed at managing the global impact of the Middle East conflict.
An average of at least 47 women and girls were killed each day during the war in Gaza, according to new figures released by UN Women.
A remarkable discovery at the ancient ruins of Sanxingdui offers a glimpse into what appears to be otherworldly craftsmanship - an axe believed to have been made using material from a meteorite.
The past 24 hours of the Russia-Ukraine war have seen a drastic escalation in both aerial bombardment and frontline losses.
Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping on Friday (17 April) for the first time since the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's ex-Supreme Leader in air strikes, triggering the Middle East conflict, at the end of February. A U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, however, remains in force.
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 April), warning European countries against plans to step up UAV supplies to Kyiv.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a Saturday statement that the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its "previous state" under the control of its "armed forces," citing the ongoing U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.
Netflix shares fell sharply on Friday after the streaming group issued a weaker-than-expected outlook and said chairman and co-founder Reed Hastings will step down from the board.
Global leaders and diplomats have gathered in southern Türkiye for the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, focusing on uncertainty, conflict and the future of global cooperation.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia and Russia have agreed to continue implementing previously reached agreements in the military-technical sphere following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Global leaders have gathered in Antalya Diplomacy Forum, with discussions centred on geopolitical uncertainty and international cooperation.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has said his country could provide a “safe corridor” and “alternative route” for regional energy shipments, as supply disruptions continue to affect the wider Middle East.
An average of at least 47 women and girls were killed each day during the war in Gaza, according to new figures released by UN Women.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment