Turkish Cypriots stranded in Dubai return to island via Larnaca

A total of 37 Turkish Cypriots who had found themselves stranded in Dubai upon the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East at the weekend returned to the island via Larnaca airport, the north’s ‘foreign ministry’s’ undersecretary Mustafa Lakadamyali said.

He told the north’s Tak news agency that the 37 Turkish Cypriots had arrived on the island on Thursday, and that three other Turkish Cypriots who were in Lebanon have also returned to the island on commercial flights.

Additionally, he said that a further 36 people have informed the Turkish Cypriot authorities that they remain stranded in countries in the Middle East, with the authorities engaged in efforts to “bring them to the island as soon as possible”.

Those people, he said, are located in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Lebanon.

On this front, he said that at present, “some companies are operating limited flights due to potential risks in the airspace”, with Turkey’s largest three airlines, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, and Ajet, having not yet resumed their services to Dubai.

He said that it is hoped that those Turkish Cypriots who remain in the region will be able to return to the island “on Sunday or Monday”, and that if flights between major Middle Eastern cities and Turkey do not resume, “alternative evacuation routes are also being considered”.

In addition, he said that the Turkish Cypriot authorities will cover the accommodation and transportation costs of all Turkish Cypriots who have found themselves stranded in the region as a result of the conflict.

“From the very beginning, our top priority has been the safety of our citizens,” he said.

The Turkish Cypriot authorities are operating a 24-hour service line for Turkish Cypriots in the Middle East, which can be contacted at (+90) 533 851 40 06, while Turkish Cypriots in the region can, in the event of an emergency, contact Turkish Cypriot representative offices in Abu Dhabi, Doha, Muscat, Kuwait, and Manama.