Over 400 Hongkongers stranded in Middle East, reported safe amid conflict

2026-03-03 - 07:25

More than 400 Hong Kong residents were stranded in the Middle East as of Monday afternoon, according to the Immigration Department, amid the ongoing conflict triggered by US-Israel strikes on Iran. Two people walk along an empty beach on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai on March 2, 2026. Photo: Fadel Senna/AFP. The Immigration Department said that as of 5pm Monday, it had been contacted by 432 Hong Kong residents in the Middle East, all of whom reported they were in safe locations. Ming Pao reported that university students and tourists were among the stranded residents, with many in Dubai. The UAE’s two flag carriers – Emirates and Etihad – resumed some flights on Monday after Gulf nations partially opened their airspace despite the continuing airstrikes. The UAE’s defence ministry said early on Tuesday that its air defences “are currently dealing with a barrage of ballistic missiles coming from Iran.” Tours cancelled Hong Kong tour agency WWPKG has cancelled all tours to the Middle East until March 10 due to safety reasons, executive director Yuen Chun-ning told an RTHK programme on Tuesday. About 20 travellers in two WWPKG tour groups are stranded in Dubai, and it is unclear when they can return to Hong Kong, he added. Hong Kong International Airport. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. But the tour groups will continue sightseeing on Tuesday as local authorities have lifted an alert that urged people to stay indoors, he said. Some customers who have booked trips to the region for June and July have expressed a desire to change their travel plans, Yuen said. The Airport Authority told HKFP that 14 flights had been cancelled as of 11 am Tuesday. Hong Kong’s flagship carrier Cathay Pacific said on Sunday it had cancelled all flights to and from Dubai in the UAE and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia until Tuesday. The US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran on Saturday, killing the Islamic republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As the President stated, our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. The President ordered bold action. CENTCOM forces are delivering an overwhelming and unrelenting blow. pic.twitter.com/B0k5gV4YnU — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 28, 2026 Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, targeting Israel and Gulf Arab states that host US military bases, including Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The death toll has continued to rise. At least 555 people have been killed in Iran in US-Israeli strikes, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, while the US military said six American service members had died in counterstrikes. Hong Kong’s Security Bureau has issued a red travel alert – warning of a “significant threat” – for Iran and Israel.