131 Hongkongers stranded in Middle East safe as attacks escalate

Hong Kong authorities have received 131 inquiries from residents stranded in the Middle East amid a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, which forced flight cancellations and left some seeking refuge in local hotels.The Immigration Department confirmed to the South China Morning Post that all residents who inquired about the situation and flight arrangements were in safe locations as of 8am on Sunday.It said the authorities have been coordinating with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong and Chinese embassies across Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan to understand the latest situation.“The Immigration Department would continue to maintain contact with the Hong Kong residents who made inquiries, providing appropriate advice and feasible assistance regarding their itineraries and flight information,” the department said.Among those caught in the disruption was solicitor Martin Yeung Wan-fung, who was stranded in Dubai after his Emirates flight to Hong Kong was grounded. Describing the harrowing experience, he told the SCMP that he had never previously been in such close proximity to a war.He said he arrived in Dubai for personal matters on Friday, recounting hearing “explosion sounds” and seeing “flashes of fire” in the sky, and he rushed back to his hotel immediately.“It was quite terrifying. This was something we rarely encountered in Hong Kong,” Yeung said.