Germany begins evacuation of citizens stranded in Middle East

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has announced the launch of an operation to repatriate German citizens stranded in the Middle East, Tagesschau reports.

The first flight, operated by Lufthansa, is scheduled for March 4 to the Omani capital, with several additional flights planned in the coming days. The airline will operate the flights on behalf of the German government using an Airbus A340-300, which can accommodate 279 passengers. The exact number of passengers for the initial flights has not yet been confirmed.

Wadephul said priority will be given to the elderly, the sick, those with limited mobility, pregnant women, and children. “We need to see who we can take with us,” he noted.

Passengers will first travel from the United Arab Emirates to Oman. German citizens not included in the priority group will either be asked to wait or given the option to fly directly from the UAE to Germany.

“I am optimistic that we will make progress in the coming days so that the vast majority of German tourists can finally return home,” the minister said.

By Vafa Guliyeva