DAILY NEWS
DAR ES SALAAM: EMOTIONAL scenes unfolded at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) on Monday evening as 236 Tanzanians stranded in Dubai due to rising tensions in the Middle East arrived home in tears of joy.
The passengers arrived at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam aboard a special Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) flight arranged to bring them back after numerous flights were cancelled, because of the deteriorating security situation in the region.
Upon arrival, several passengers appeared visibly relieved and happy to be back on Tanzanian soil, while stressing the importance of protecting peace in their country after witnessing the devastating effects of conflict.
They described the fear they experienced while witnessing explosions and heightened tension near the areas where they were staying in Dubai.
One passenger, Ms Miss Mwakatobe, said she had travelled to Dubai for a short trip to celebrate her birthday, but the security situation forced her to stay far longer than she had planned.
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“I had gone to Dubai for three days to celebrate my birthday, but those three days turned into about 12 or 13 days. I was staying close to the airport, so the anxiety was even greater. We could see fires in the sky and fragments of missiles falling.
“Staying indoors most of the time helped because going outside meant risking being hit by falling debris,” she said.
Other passengers said the situation was extremely tense because they were witnessing the attacks firsthand and had no certainty about when or where the next strike might occur.
“The fear was very high because we could see areas being struck. You never knew when missiles might be launched or where they would land, whether at night while you are asleep or while you are outside. It was a very difficult experience,” said one of the returning travellers.
Another passenger described the experience as the first time they had ever witnessed real explosions in person rather than through media coverage.
“It was my first time witnessing something like that. We usually see such events in the media, but seeing explosions with my own eyes is not a good experience,” the passenger said.
ATCL Chief Operating Officer, Captain Arif Jinah, said the flight was not a commercial operation but a special rescue mission aimed at assisting passengers who had been stranded after their scheduled flights were cancelled.
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