As Iranian missile and drone attacks continue to halt commercial flights throughout the Gulf region, Britain will transport trapped citizens out of the Middle East on Wednesday.
At 23:00 local time (19:00 GMT), a chartered aircraft takes off from Muscat International Airport. The most vulnerable residents have been given preference by officials for available seats.
Since combat broke out between the US, Israel, and Iran on Saturday, more than 130,000 Britons have requested assistance in evacuating the area.
According to information obtained by Naija News, British officials are looking for more evacuation possibilities in reaction to what they call the worst travel situation since the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, authorities intend to send a warship to protect Cyprus against assaults.
After an Iranian drone hit the British military facility at Akrotiri, the Royal Navy will dispatch the destroyer HMS Dragon to the Mediterranean to strengthen defenses. On Wednesday morning, Treasury Minister James Murray declined to say when the ship would leave Portsmouth.
Britain Gives Vulnerable Citizens’ Evacuation Priority
Select British people, along with their spouse or partner and children under the age of eighteen, will be given seats on the first repatriation flight from Oman on Wednesday by the Foreign Office.
Additionally, in order to secure a position on the charter flight, UK citizens who traveled to Oman from places like Dubai in the United Arab Emirates prior to the flight must register online. Everyone wishing to depart on Wednesday cannot be accommodated by the one plane.
The Foreign Office stated, “We will keep working with airlines to find more routes for people to return home.”
In the meanwhile, Britain has advised its people not to travel to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, or Qatar unless absolutely necessary.
More than 130,000 Britons Request Assistance
Protecting British citizens is still a “top priority,” Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliamentarians on Tuesday. She added that the first repatriation flight will probably take place in Oman.
British nationals have registered with authorities in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Despite the confusion, a few planes to Britain have continued to operate out of Dubai. British Airways said that it will operate a single commercial flight on Thursday at 02:30 local time (22:30 GMT Wednesday) from Muscat to London’s Heathrow Airport.
