Approximately 1,600 Malaysian umrah pilgrims are stranded in Saudi Arabia due to flight cancellations linked to Middle East tensions, with consular assistance underway.
KUALA LUMPUR: About 1,600 Malaysian umrah pilgrims have been left stranded in Saudi Arabia following widespread flight cancellations and disruptions by several airlines due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Malaysia’s Consul General in Jeddah, Tengku Mohd Dzaraif Raja Abdul Kadir, confirmed that the consulate has successfully made contact with most of the affected pilgrims, who are currently in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah.
“Alhamdulillah, they are in good condition, and the situation in Saudi Arabia, especially in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah, is also very good without any untoward incidents,” he said during an appearance on Bernama TV’s Malaysia Petang Ini programme.
He explained that most of the stranded pilgrims were originally scheduled to return home on Malaysia Airlines flights, as well as other carriers including Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad.
According to Tengku Mohd Dzaraif, direct flights from Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur are still available via Saudia Airlines, in addition to limited services from AirAsia.
He noted that many pilgrims have already taken the initiative themselves, or through their travel agents, to switch their flights to Saudia Airlines, with several groups having successfully returned to Malaysia.
“Malaysia Airlines has also generously provided accommodation for pilgrims who were scheduled to return on its flights,” he added.
The Consulate General of Malaysia in Jeddah has opened a 24-hour operations room to monitor the situation and channel assistance to affected Malaysians.
The consulate is also coordinating temporary accommodation and welfare assistance for Malaysians in need, including 19 Malaysian students who were stranded in Jeddah due to the closure of Jordan’s airspace.
“These students have been provided with temporary accommodation at the consulate and at serviced apartments that we arranged, and Alhamdulillah, this morning they departed for home on a specially chartered bus,” he said.
He added that the consulate remains in close contact with the Saudi authorities and is monitoring developments, including the possible need for special flights should the conflict persist.
“For now, we are still assessing the situation based on current developments, with airlines aware of their responsibilities and working to find solutions to resume operations,” he concluded.
The current crisis in the Middle East has prompted several countries to close or restrict their airspace as a precautionary measure, which has significantly affected international commercial flight operations.
This uncertain situation has also disrupted flight schedules to and from several major Middle East hubs, including Saudi Arabia, forcing airlines to cancel or reschedule flights for safety reasons.
The Sun Malaysia
