Air France flight from UAE forced to return amid rocket attack

An Air France repatriation flight leaving the United Arab Emirates on the evening of March 5 was forced to return due to “missile fire in the area,” Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed in a post on X.

Tabarot stated that the incident “highlights the instability in the region and the complexity of repatriation operations,” adding that the government is aware of the expectations of French citizens in the country.

🔴Malgré les moyens mis en œuvre, en lien avec le ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères, pour poursuivre le rapatriement des Français qui le souhaitent depuis le Moyen-Orient, le vol Air France affrété par le Gouvernement pour aller chercher nos compatriotes aux…

— Philippe Tabarot (@PhilippeTabarot) March 5, 2026

Speaking to CNEWS on March 6, Tabarot said repatriation flights will continue, but the situation is “constantly changing.”

By Jeyhun Aghazada