A British father and daughter have described their harrowing escape from Abu Dhabi after Iranian missile attacks turned their holiday into a war zone. Jamie Mallon, 54, a financial advisor from Southampton, and his daughter Izzy, 27, fled via a six-hour taxi ride through the desert to Oman, where they caught a British Airways flight home.
The pair had arrived in Abu Dhabi for a relaxing break after Izzy returned from working in Thailand. However, within minutes of reaching their hotel, they heard explosions as Iranian drones and cruise missiles targeted the area. Jamie became convinced that the nearby World Trade Centre Abu Dhabi was a prime target, drawing parallels with the 9/11 attacks in New York.
Security alerts on Jamie's phone indicated that 1,184 drones and eight cruise missiles were fired at Abu Dhabi in a single day, though 1,110 drones and all eight missiles were intercepted. Despite the defences, the danger was palpable. Jamie, who has type 1 diabetes, had only brought enough medication for five days, adding urgency to their escape.
The pair decided to leave on Wednesday after watching interceptor missiles take out Iranian warheads from a mall. With all bus seats booked, they hired a taxi for £410 to drive six hours across the desert to Muscat, Oman. Jamie said: “It took six hours by road across the desert to get from Abu Dhabi, but we had to get out. We are just so glad to be going home.”
Izzy recalled the shock of the attacks: “We had been on the beach a very short time when we heard a bang. We were in the middle of a war just as we arrived. It is something that I will never forget.” The hotel provided free food and drinks, and the UAE authorities were praised for their support.
The escape comes as the UK government works to organise mercy flights for tens of thousands of Britons stranded in the Gulf, with airspace restrictions complicating efforts. Other expatriates, including Irish teachers, also made long journeys to Oman to secure flights home.
