Middle East Conflict: PV Sindhu stranded at Dubai Airport, India's basketball team trapped in Qatar

Dubai: India's star badminton player PV Sindhu is stranded at Dubai airport. The situation has worsened following missile attacks on Iran by the US and Israel, resulting in flight suspensions in many parts of the Middle East.

What is the issue?

According to reports, Sindhu was traveling to Birmingham, where the England Open is scheduled to begin on March 3. Dubai was her connecting point, but due to rising tensions in the region, Dubai International Airport, one of the world's busiest airports, came to a complete standstill. Like thousands of other passengers, two-time Olympic medalist Sindhu was stranded there.

Sindhu shared a video of the airport on Instagram, writing, "All flights suspended until further notice." Her post quickly went viral and caused a stir in the sports world.

What is situation at Dubai Airport?

According to Reuters, Dubai Airport management has confirmed that all flights from Dubai International and Al Maktoum International Airports are suspended until further notice. Passengers have been urged not to come to the airport.

Emirates Airlines has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Dubai due to the regional airspace closure. Flydubai has also suspended all operations. Etihad Airways has suspended all flights departing from Abu Dhabi until 10 a.m. (GMT) on Sunday.

It is worth noting that airports in Gulf countries are major travel hubs between Asia and Europe. Therefore, this decision has had a significant impact on international flights. Airlines have advised passengers to regularly check their flight status and seek information about rebooking.

What happened to Indian basketball team?

This tension has also affected other Indian athletes. The Indian Basketball Federation reported that India's senior men's basketball team is stranded in Doha, the capital of Qatar. The team had traveled there for the FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.