A traveler from Scotland has described the frightening emergency alert that appeared on her phone in Dubai last weekend.
With tensions escalating in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, normal shipping routes and flight corridors in parts of the region have been disrupted. As a result, many tourists have found themselves unable to travel as planned, with departures postponed and onward journeys uncertain.
Lesley Ballantyne, who is currently on board the MSC Euribia after it remained in port rather than departing Dubai, has spoken to CNN Travel about what happened.
In the early hours of Sunday, March 1, Ballantyne said she woke to a flashing alert on her phone. It read: “Potential missile threats, seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building.”
She got up while her partner, Alistair, appeared to sleep through the warning, and she looked out from their cabin to see what was happening. From her viewpoint, the port looked quiet, with nothing obviously out of the ordinary beyond the lit-up waterfront.
“Nothing to see. So I went back to bed and back to sleep,” the cruise passengers added. “We’ve heard some loud bangs, seen some missiles being intercepted from the ship but it all seems in the distance.”
The Euribia is among a number of ships that have had to adjust operations, as some vessels steer clear of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic passage connecting the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
The Joint Maritime Information Centre has issued a regional risk assessment describing the waterways as ‘critically’ threatened, suggesting an ‘almost certain’ likelihood of an attack.
MSC Cruises said in a statement that it is coordinating with embassies and foreign offices to help guests return home once flights resume.
“At this time, the situation on board remains calm,” the company said. “Guests have full access to all onboard services and facilities, and we continue to ensure a high standard of care, comfort and support for both guests and crew.”
Another British traveler, Sharon Cockram, said she was stunned to find herself caught up in the unfolding situation.
“Never, never, ever did we think we’d get caught up in something like this. It’s always something you watch on the TV from home,” she commented, via the same publication.
Cockram’s circumstances are especially stressful because her daughter is expecting her first baby, with the due date falling this month. She and her husband are worried their extended delay could add to pressures back in the UK.
“Our daughter in the UK is worried sick and heavily pregnant, something we could all do without,” she said.
Both parties are hoping air travel in the area returns to normal soon, as they are currently booked to fly home on Saturday, March 7.