India's double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has been stuck at Dubai airport from where she was scheduled to fly to England for All England Open badminton tournament. As flight operations have been suspended following escalating tensions in the middle seat, Sindhu has been holed up at the Dubai airport. On February 28, she shared a photo showing the panic at the airport. Several hours later, she revealed that there was an explosion nearby and her coach was close to the smoke and debris. The explosion Sindhu mentioned about was a drone attack at Dubai airport.
“It’s hard to process what’s unfolding right now. Hearing the interceptions overhead and seeing how quickly everything has escalated is honestly terrifying. So many disturbing videos are coming to light, and this is sadly the reality of what is happening. Dubai is a city I deeply love, a place that has always felt safe and full of life, which makes this moment even harder to comprehend,” Sindhu wrote in a post on X on February 28.
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“To everyone who has been messaging and checking in, thank you, it truly means a lot. I am safe right now, stuck here in Dubai with my team, and we are doing okay as the situation around the war with Iran continues to evolve. The Airport is chaotic, with many families stranded and waiting, all of us just hoping we get past this soon.
“Moments like these remind you how fragile normal life really is. Praying for safety and peace for everyone affected.”
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On March 1, Sindhu informed about the explosion nearby and thanked Dubai airport, authorities and Indian High Commission in the city from helping them out.
“The ordeal continues to unfold, and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour,” Sindhu narrated.
“A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an extremely tense and scary moment for all of us.
“We are all safe now and have been moved to a more secure place, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at Dubai Airport and the Dubai authorities. A special thanks as well to the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their incredible support and constant assistance in helping keep us safe.
“For now, we are trying to get some rest and hold on to hope as we wait for things to settle,” she concluded.
Indian basketball team stuck in Doha
On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran. US President Donald Trump urged the citizens of Iran to overthrow the Islamic leadership in the country that has been in place since 1979. The attacks have led to air pace in the Gulf region being shut down. Several airlines including Emirates and Air India have been shut. The airspaces are expected to remain shut for a longer time until the missile strikes come to a halt.
In addition to Sindhu, the Indian senior men's basketball team is stuck in Doha, Qatar. They played their match against Qatar on February 27.
The All England Open is scheduled to start on March 3. It is yet to be seen whether Sindhu or other athletes in affected areas will be able to reach England in time for their respective matches.