Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the deployment of Australian military resources to the Middle East. This move is part of a broader strategy to assist thousands of Australians who have found themselves stranded in the conflict-ridden region.
Speaking during a session of Question Time on Thursday, Albanese provided updates on the situation, including information on a second flight originating from Dubai. This flight is anticipated to arrive in Sydney at approximately 10:30 p.m.
“I can confirm that flight EK414 is currently in the air, carrying over 200 Australians,” the Prime Minister stated. “The flight departed from Dubai at 9:16 a.m. Canberra time, en route to Sydney, and we are hopeful for additional flights today, which is precisely what we aim to achieve.”
Albanese’s remarks also included the latest updates on flight schedules, with two more departures to Australia expected to take place later today. This news underscores the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure the safe return of its citizens from the volatile Middle Eastern region.
‘It departed Dubai at 9.16am today Canberra time, bound for Sydney and we are hopeful of more flights in the air today which is what we want to see,’ he said.
‘The most recent advice is another two flights are scheduled to depart to Australia today.’
Albanese described the situation in the Middle East as ‘volatile’, ‘dangerous’ and ‘fast moving’ and acknowledged there is still thousands of Australians trying to get home.
After discussing the flight, the PM added there were six Australian crisis teams deployed to the region as well as ‘military assets as part of our contingency planning earlier this week’.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Australian military assets had been sent to the Middle East (pictured left to right: Defence Minister Richard Marles, Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke)
Albanese said six Australian crisis teams deployed to the region as well as ‘military assets’ as part of the plan to get stranded Aussies home (pictured are passengers arriving in Sydney)
The first flight to Sydney from Dubai landed on Wednesday
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has not addressed the deployment of the ‘assets’ and it remains unclear what those assets are.
New Zealand on Thursday similarly said it would send two defence planes alongside consular staff to help its citizens get back home.
The first flight from Dubai to Sydney landed safely on Australian soil on Wednesday night, ending a stressful period for hundreds of Aussies.
Earlier this week, Wong confirmed about 115,000 Australians were stranded in the Middle East.
Conflict in the region was triggered by America and Israel’s bombing of Iran on Saturday. Iran has since been bombarding peaceful Gulf cities with missile and drone attacks.
An Emirates Airbus A380-861, capable of carrying more than 400 passengers, left Dubai at 2am on Wednesday and landed in Sydney at 10.24pm.
There were cheers, hugs, and tears as passengers disembarked and reunited with their loved ones at the arrivals gate.
Earlier in the week, an evacuation route via Cyprus collapsed when a military and a civilian airport were both targeted.
Hundreds of Aussies cried and hugged as they were reunited
The second flight from Dubai, following the first on Wednesday, is due to land on Thursday night
The United Arab Emirates opened mergency flight corridors on Tuesday to allow repatriation flights out of the Middle East
Several airspaces over the Middle East remain closed, including Israel, Syria, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain. Jordan has partially closed its airspace.
However, the United Arab Emirates’ Government opened dedicated emergency flight corridors out of Dubai, a major transport hub, on Tuesday.
Smartraveller has advised Australians travelling to or through Gulf nations that they could be unable to leave if the conflict escalates.
A registration portal is open on its website for Australians to receive further evacuation orders.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has also activated its 24/7 Crisis Centre to provide consular support to those in the region.
