The department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) has urged South African citizens in the Middle East to take advantage of the limited commercial flights now available to leave the region, warning that heavy attacks are expected to continue in the coming days.
“We urge all citizens to note that several airlines have resumed limited commercial flights out of the region. Citizens are strongly encouraged to take immediate advantage of this opportunity to leave, as heavy attacks are regrettably expected to continue in the coming days. Your safety is our paramount concern,” the department said.
The warning comes amid escalating tension in the Middle East following US and Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Saturday.
Iran has since retaliated, raising fears of wider regional instability and military confrontations across the Gulf.
Limited non-essential travel
Dirco has also strongly discouraged South Africans from undertaking non-essential travel to the region.
In a statement shared on social media, the department said it had noted a significant increase in South Africans registering on its Travel Smart system.
More than 6,400 South African citizens in the Middle East had registered their presence as of Tuesday.
If you are experiencing difficulties with the evacuation process or require urgent consular support, please contact a department official immediately
— Dirco
“South African citizens in the region for non-essential travel who wish to evacuate cities and countries affected by the interstate conflict in the Middle East are strongly advised to use the official channels listed below. This proactive measure is essential to prepare for an exit from the danger zone as soon as it is safe to secure passage,” Dirco said.
“If you are experiencing difficulties with the evacuation process or require urgent consular support, please contact a department official immediately,” they said.
Earlier this week, the government called on all South Africans in the region to urgently contact the relevant South African embassies accredited to their countries of residence to ensure they are registered and that their whereabouts are known to officials.
Dirco also warned that consular support in parts of the region could be limited in the event of an emergency.
Flights suspended
Meanwhile, major airlines had suspended flights across the region as the conflict intensified.
Emirates, the region’s largest airline, paused all flights to and from Dubai until Tuesday, while Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways also halted operations until regional airspace was deemed safe.
According to the flight-tracking platform FlightAware, more than 4,000 flights a day were cancelled across the Middle East.
Some operations have since resumed as Emirates restarted limited flights from Dubai International Airport on Wednesday, while Etihad Airways has also restarted limited services.
Most Emirates flights are currently operating to Europe, the US and India and the airline has not yet resumed flights to South Africa.
Qatar Airways said on Thursday that its flight operations remained temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.
“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace by the relevant authorities. A further update will be provided [on Friday],” the airline said.
Qatar Airways will contact affected passengers directly with their assigned flight details, travel arrangements and next steps. Please ensure your contact details are up-to-date so we can reach you with flight information and instructions
— Qatar Airways
It added that it would operate a limited number of relief flights from Thursday to assist passengers stranded due to the current situation across the region.
Planned services include flights from Muscat to London Heathrow, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, Rome and Amsterdam, and a flight from Riyadh to Frankfurt.
Passengers have been advised not to travel to the airport unless they have received official confirmation from the airline.
“Qatar Airways will contact affected passengers directly with their assigned flight details, travel arrangements and next steps. Please ensure your contact details are up-to-date so we can reach you with flight information and instructions,” the airline said.
The airline said it would continue to closely monitor the situation and would share further updates as soon as they became available.
“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority. We apologise for the disruption caused by circumstances beyond our control due to the temporary airspace closure and thank you for your patience,” they said.
Dirco has reiterated its call for South Africans in the Middle East to remain vigilant and to prioritise their safety as the situation continues to unfold.
TimesLIVE
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