A Scottish holidaymaker has described the terrifying moment missiles flew towards him and his partner while they attended a brunch in Dubai on Saturday afternoon. Malcolm Morrison, 40, from Paisley, was visiting relatives when the Iranian retaliatory strikes began, prompting regional airspace closures and flight suspensions.
Speaking after touching down at Edinburgh Airport on an Emirates flight on Wednesday evening, Mr Morrison said: 'We were at a brunch at the W on the Palm when the missiles flew towards us. At first they told us it was fireworks, but you could feel the vibrations. Once it got dark we started seeing multiple missiles in the sky and black plumes of smoke.'
The couple received a mobile alert instructing them to seek shelter immediately. The Fairmont Hotel nearby was hit, forcing them to stay at Mr Morrison's sister's apartment. 'On the Sunday we heard three or four bangs above my sister's place. It's terrifying. I'm still so scared for her,' he added.
Flights were grounded across the Middle East following the strikes, with Emirates, Qatar Airways and British Airways among those suspending services. Emirates flight EK23 from Dubai to Edinburgh was one of a handful that operated on Wednesday, arriving at about 8pm GMT.
'When we boarded the plane it was quite a strange atmosphere,' Mr Morrison said. 'Everyone was tracking the flight path. The first hour it was flying over countries that had been hit. That was not a good feeling.' He added that passengers applauded upon landing.
Emirates confirmed that all scheduled flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until March 4, except for limited repatriation and freighter services. Passengers are advised to check with the airline before travelling to the airport.
