Dubai: India’s double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu described a frightening ordeal in Dubai after flight operations were suspended at Dubai International Airport following explosions linked to escalating tensions in the Gulf region.
Sindhu, who was travelling to Birmingham for the All England Open Badminton Championships, said she heard loud explosions close to the airport where passengers had been waiting, forcing her and her coach to move to a safer location.
The Indian badminton star was en route to the prestigious tournament, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, with Dubai as a transit halt. However, uncertainty now surrounds her arrival after flights were suspended on Saturday amid reports of missile strikes in the region as tensions escalated following an alleged retaliation by Iran.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Sindhu detailed the tense situation.
“The ordeal continues to unfold, and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour. A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an extremely tense and scary moment for all of us,” she wrote.
She later confirmed that they had been moved to a secure place and are safe.
“We are all safe now and have been moved to a more secure place, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at Dubai Airport and the Dubai authorities. A special thanks as well to the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their incredible support and constant assistance in helping keep us safe. For now, we are trying to get some rest and hold on to hope as we wait for things to settle,” Sindhu added.
The situation has raised doubts over her participation in the upcoming All England Open, one of badminton’s most prestigious tournaments.
Source: Hindustan Times
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