A BRIT couple have told of total “carnage” they suffered during an agonising 22-hour wait in Dubai airport as they attempted to escape the Middle East.
Lee Smart, 36, and partner Nina Luminati, 35, arrived back at on Wednesday afternoon.
Sue (left) and Terry Luminati (second right) greet their daughter Nina (right) and her boyfriend Lee Smart (second left) as the young couple arrive at Terminal 3 of London Heathrow Airport on a flight from DubaiCredit: PA
Lee Smart, 36, and partner Nina Luminati, 35, have told of ‘carnage’ after spending 22 hours trapped in Dubai airportCredit: PA
Flights were grounded in the Emirati city after Iranian drones and missiles targeted DubaiCredit: AP
They spent the night before their flight sleeping on chairs in Dubai airport.
The couple from Thornton Heath, south London, had flown to for a wedding and were waiting for a connecting flight to bring them home when they got stranded in the UAE on Saturday.
Almost all flights were cancelled from the international hub as Iranian targeted the UAE – the rogue nation is wreaking its revenge for the with a barrage of attacks across the Middle East.
What should have been a quick flight change turned into a several day stopover in Dubai as flights were grounded.
At nearby Abu Dhabi airport, one person died and seven were left injured by blasts.
Lee described the situation as “carnage”.
It comes as…
- Huge fire at
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- by Iran crisis
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He said: “We were advised by our hotel to get to the airport yesterday morning and then it was just a bit of carnage.
“I think many hotels told people the same thing. Maybe they were trying to get people out.”
The couple had been on several waiting lists for flights home but crowds of thousands gathered at Dubai airport.
After a painful wait, Lee and Nina finally caught Emirates flight EK001, which took off from Dubai at 07.45am on Wednesday.
Lee said: “So some people got on the first repatriation flights, we managed to get on those because we were at the back of the queue.
Huge blast sparks fire at US Consulate in Dubai after a drone attackCredit: X
The Fairmont Palm hotel engulfed in flames after it was struck by missile debrisCredit: X/IBADANBOYZ
Debris from a drone interception ignited a fire in at the Burj Al ArabCredit: x
“It was pretty calm in the city, despite everything that was going on. I think the UAE government did an amazing job to be honest.”
As they arrived back in London, the couple were greeted by Nina’s parents, Sue and Terry Luminati.
Sue, from Teddington, south-west London, said the Nina and Lee had “scrambled” to get to Dubai airport.
She said: “Once they got there it was an absolute nightmare. There were obviously thousands of people all in the same position.
“It’s very difficult to give advice in this situation because it is so unprecedented.
“Do you get on? Do you stay there and hold your ground? Do you get on a plane, or do you go back, try and get a hotel and relax and wait for it to calm down.
“They stayed there, and that’s why they’re on this flight today. Because they were there at the right time to be able to get a seat.”
It comes as war continues to rage in the Middle East, with many other Brits still trapped in the UAE and elsewhere.
have registered their presence in the region amid the rapidly escalating conflict between the US and Israel against Iran.
One trapped tourist : “The British Government’s done nothing to get us out.”
So far one government jet, with the capacity of around 350 passengers, has been sent to bring Brits home.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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