Relief after Kenyans, students stranded in Dubai repatriated amid tensions

Hundreds of Kenyans stranded in Dubai in the midst of the ongoing United States-Israel vs Iran war have been repatriated to Kenya.

The Kenyan citizens returned home aboard a Kenya Airways flight that had been scheduled to carry out the task.

Among those who returned home on Thursday morning were a group of learners who had been stuck in Dubai on a school trip.

Thursday was no ordinary morning at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) international arrivals, at least not for a section of travellers.

A Kenya Airways mercy flight landed, bringing with it not just passengers returning home, but also a sense of relief.

Among those who disembarked from the flight were learners from Olivine School in Mombasa. Their education trip to Dubai was nearing its end when Israel and the U.S. struck Tehran. The impact of that strike soon spread to Dubai, trapping the school group.

“At first it didn’t click that there was a war going on, but when the alerts started coming in and realising now, that is when it sank in how serious the issue is,” said a learner, Angie Abawama.

Another learner, Jesse, added, “Out of nowhere, we just started hearing alerts on our phones randomly. I was shocked on hearing the news that our airports were being closed, find shelters, stay away from windows.”

From exploring Dubai to being confined in a hotel room and at times bunkers, the learners found themselves witnessing history first-hand, alongside the fear and anxiety that came with it.

“Remember, in our country, we are never prepared for such things, so we were like, where is the shelter? We had to call someone from the hotel to take us to the bunkers,” stated Dr. Olivine.

“Missiles were being seen. Sometimes you will just see light and then they are intercepted. For us you see that is not us — we have never seen such things. The closest we have seen is what is happening to cattle rustlers.”

For four days, the group faced their worst fears, stranded in a foreign country and confronting a situation far from home. The announcement that Kenya Airways would operate a flight out of Dubai became their lifeline.

“We stayed at the airport so that the plane does not leave without us and it was 50/50, it might or it might not. So today when we were flying and we were in the airspace of Ethiopia we were like ehhh…” Dr Olivine added.

Jesse on his part said, “I feel relief and my stress has gone off. I feel safe coming back to my family.”