Esha Gupta returns to India after being stranded in Abu Dhabi amid US-Iran conflict: ‘No one knew what next minute held’

On February 28, actor Esha Gupta revealed she was stranded in Abu Dhabi as tensions escalated across the Middle East following US and Israeli missile strikes on Iran that disrupted air traffic across the region. On March 3, she shared that she had safely returned home and described the tense scenes she witnessed over the past few days.

‘None of us knew what happened’

In a detailed note on Instagram, Esha wrote that the situation unfolded while she was at the airport on February 28.

“Back home. Thank you for all the prayers and wishes. It was very tough to be in the situation that we all were. Truly God’s blessings to be safe! It started when I was at the airport on the 28th. By 1 pm the airport was closed, chaos all around as none of us knew what happened,” she said.

She described confusion and fear as news of missile strikes began to circulate. “Strangers consoling each other, all calling their families back home,” she added.

Esha praised the swift response of authorities in the UAE, saying airport ground staff and security personnel remained calm despite the uncertainty. She said she had not yet checked in for her flight when operations were halted, and decided to return to her hotel in Abu Dhabi.

At the hotel, she learned that stranded passengers were provided with food allowances and accommodation, with the government directing hotels to host affected travellers. She commended the hotel management and staff for working tirelessly through the crisis.

“Not once did we see people create panic. Everyone may have been scared internally, but we were all in this together,” she wrote.

Esha added that she was fortunate to board the first commercial Etihad Airways flight to Delhi on March 2. She thanked both the UAE authorities and the Indian government for coordinating efforts to help stranded passengers return home.

About the US-Iran conflict

The crisis followed joint airstrikes by Israel and the United States that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes targeting US bases and allied locations in the region, including in the UAE and Doha.

The escalation triggered widespread aviation disruptions, with multiple airports shutting down, airspace closures imposed, and hundreds of flights cancelled or diverted.

Amid ongoing tensions, the United Arab Emirates civil aviation authority announced the operation of special flights to facilitate the departure of stranded passengers. Limited services resumed from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).

Dubai Airports advised travellers not to proceed to the airports unless directly contacted by their airline with a confirmed departure time, as operations gradually resumed under tight restrictions.