Repatriated Cypriots arrive safely in Larnaca
The repatriation flight that brought 180 Cypriots back to the island from Dubai amid the current tensions in the Middle East safely landed at Larnaca airport on Wednesday evening, with passengers saying they had been “terrified” but that the situation was not as presented on social media.
The Cyprus Airways flight CYP107 left Dubai international airport at 2pm and arrived Larnaca with a ten-minute delay at 6.45pm.
The flight is part of a repatriation plan activated by the government in response to disruptions caused by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
A repatriated Cypriot, Constantina Theodorou, said after landing that “we were in Dubai on holiday, the war started on Saturday and we were all terrified.”
“We were waiting to come home and see our families,” she added.
Theodorou also thanked the government for its immediate response.
“We experienced unprecedented moments, there was a bit of panicking, but thankfully the embassy and the government of Cyprus responded immediately,” another passenger Savvas Kyriacou said
“We were frightened but things were not as they were presented on social media,” he pointed out.
Savvas Kyriacou
Asked if there were any explosions around the hotel they were staying at, Kyriacou said “there were interceptions and fragments of drones kept falling”.
“There was one close to us, the others were in Abu Dhabi and there was also one near the Dubai airport.”
Kyriacou said things were “relatively alright, but we stayed indoors”.
“We were a bit worried if it was safe to travel back, but fortunately everything went well,” he added.
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, foreign ministry spokesman Theodoros Gotsis confirmed the flight was booked for 180 Cypriots.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said “we are operating with narrow windows of opportunity by which to return Cypriots from the Emirates.”
He further stated that the government was attempting to coordinate a secondary flight out of Dubai late on Wednesday for stranded Cypriots, should the conditions allow for it.
“The protection and safe return of our citizens is an absolute priority,” Letymbiotis assured, adding that operations are being carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the competent national authority responsible for airspace control in the UAE and in coordination with regional authorities.
A flight from Egypt has already transported eight Cypriot citizens who had been in Israel. In Cairo, a total of 16 nationals were assisted, eight from Jordan and eight from Israel.
The Cypriot nationals from Jordan flew from Cairo to Athens on Tuesday night awaiting transfer to Cyprus, while the Israeli nationals flew with TUS on Tuesday night to Larnaca and are now safe.
Regarding Bahrain, Gotsis said 12 Cypriots who were in transit from Asian countries flew with Gulf Air.
He expressed gratitude to Gulf Air for covering their stay in Bahrain.
Government estimates indicate that just over 2,000 Cypriots registered on the platform following the outbreak of hostilities, though officials believe the total number of Cypriot nationals in the country could be considerably higher.
Sources close to the Cyprus Mail said that stranded Cypriot nationals registered on the Connect2CY platform have themselves created a WhatsApp group, aimed at improving coordination among those awaiting repatriation and facilitating the practical organisation of their return.
According to the same sources, priority for available seats has been determined on humanitarian grounds, with families and individuals facing particular vulnerabilities taken into account as part of the scheduling process.
Airspace closures and repeated flight cancellations across the Middle East have left hundreds of Cypriots stranded abroad, prompting the activation of the national repatriation plan.
Authorities have said accommodation costs are being covered for Cypriots in Abu Dhabi, while support continues for those in Dubai and other affected locations.
Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos has told EU counterparts that the safe return of Cypriots remains the government’s primary concern.
Government officials have said Cyprus is fully operationally and ready to assist and continues to examine requests for help with responsibility and a positive approach.
The repatriation effort follows a drone strike on the British base at Akrotiri earlier this week, as well as the interception of two unmanned drones on Monday.
“Our homeland is not participating in any military operation,” President Nikos Christodoulides said, adding that Cyprus remains committed to acting as part of the solution and to providing humanitarian support where possible.
Cypriots abroad have been urged to continue registering on the Connect2CY platform and to rely solely on official information, as further repatriation flights are expected to follow depending on security developments and airspace availability.
Furthermore, Cypriots who are leaving Middle Eastern countries are informed that, in the event of a stopover in Athens, they may contact the Cypriot embassy in Greece on +30 210 3734800 for any assistance.
The repatriation flight that brought 180 Cypriots back to the island from Dubai amid the current tensions in the Middle East safely landed at Larnaca airport on Wednesday evening.
The Cyprus Airways flight CYP107 left Dubai international airport at 2pm and arrived Larnaca with a ten-minute delay at 6.45pm.
The flight is part of a repatriation plan activated by the government in response to disruptions caused by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
More to follow ….