Spain sends military aircraft to evacuate citizens from Middle East

The Spanish government has deployed a military transport Airbus A330 to the Middle East to evacuate citizens stranded in the region due to a temporary closure of airspace, El Pais reports.

The operation, organized by Spain’s Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, uses the Airbus A330, which can carry more than 300 passengers.

Repatriation is being conducted in two stages: first, citizens travel overland to a neighboring country with open airspace, and then they are flown back to Spain on the military aircraft.

The Spanish Air Force has a substantial fleet ready for deployment, and additional flights will be arranged as more groups of citizens become prepared for evacuation.

Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that roughly 30,000 Spanish nationals are currently in the Middle East, with about half located in the United Arab Emirates, primarily in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

By Vafa Guliyeva