Montrealer recounts being stuck in Dubai, as others continue to struggle to flee hostilities

Cindy Cheung is thankful to be home in Montreal after a 30-hour journey from Dubai earlier this week. “I feel so relieved, “ she told CBC News on Friday. “Not just relieved — I think I didn't realize how stressed I was because I was trying to remain super calm.” What was supposed to be a 24-hour layover in Dubai before going to South Africa for work, turned into several days of fear and uncertainty for Cheung amid a widening conflict in the Middle East. 

Cheung arrived in the country on Saturday morning, one week ago, completely unaware of the unfolding attacks on neighbouring Iran launched by the United States and Israel.It was only later that day that she learned of the situation, after hearing from a local friend that the airspace had been shut down.And during the evening, reality hit. 

“During supper, we heard some booms and blasts,” she said, adding they could also see missiles shooting outwards toward the sky, as part of the U.A.E. defence system. 

The noise, she said, was from debris from an intercepted Iranian missile that struck the Fairmont The Palm, a five-star hotel, some 15 kilometres from where Cheung was having dinner.

“That was like when everything changed where we were. There were so many kids and families,” she said.

Cheung described feeling the tension in the air as people realized the attack was aimed at the city and not just outlying areas. “Do we need to flee? Do we need to panic now?” she asked. Since the war began last Saturday, Iran has fired waves of missiles and drones at Gulf states hosting American forces, including the United Arab Emirates.

Cheung said she followed protocol and registered with the Canadians Abroad service and also called the Canadian emergency number for assistance. 

The guidance at the time, she said, was to stay put, to stay sheltered. She was also told there were no repatriation flights at the moment for Canadians and received an email the following day advising against travel to Dubai. 

“That wasn’t really helpful,” she said, of the email.

Cheung said she realized she only had herself to rely on and managed to find a flight back home, via São Paulo, Brazil. She arrived in Montreal Thursday morning.

Since her return, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand has outlined three options for Canadians trying to leave the Middle East, including chartered flights, blocked bookings and land transportation.

“The availability of those options will largely depend on the particular country. For example, if airspace is open or not and, for example, if we are able to advise travel over land."

Ayoub Dasser, another Montrealer in Dubai, recounted a similar experience, but he remains stuck in the country. 

Like Cheung, he arrived on the first day of the ongoing war and huddled inside a makeshift shelter in the hotel’s underground parking garage as Iran launched retaliatory attacks.