Restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat are in Dubai on business. File photo. Photo: Babiche Martens
A prominent Auckland couple is trapped in Dubai after airspace closures and reported strikes across the city.
Restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat are in Dubai on business, and were due to fly out on Monday to begin a culinary tour in India.
Chand Sahrawat said they received a text alert just after midnight and heard explosions soon afterwards.
"We heard a couple of booms," she said.
"And we've just woken up to news that the airport has been hit and the Burj Al Arab has also been hit."
Sid Sahrawat said one hotel in the city had reportedly taken a hit earlier, which he described as "scary".
The couple said roads were noticeably quieter after the alerts went out, with many people staying indoors as a precaution.
"It just feels very surreal and unreal," Chand Sahrawat said.
"We've never been in a situation where a country has had to lock down because of a war."
She said they had registered their details on the New Zealand government's SafeTravel website, but had not had direct contact from officials.
It was difficult to access reliable information as English-language local news coverage was limited and they had been relying on international outlets and online reports.
All airspace across parts of the Middle East has been disrupted amid escalating regional tensions.
Chand Sahrawat said the closure of Dubai Airport was particularly worrying.
"It's one thing to close airspace for protective reasons," she said.
"But to actually hit the airport is scary. We don't know when we can leave."
The couple's children were in New Zealand. Chand Sahrawat said explaining the situation to them had been difficult.
For now, they plan to remain where they are until flights resume, as neighbouring countries have also been affected by airspace closures.
"It just feels like a different world."
'There's just nothing we can do."'
Another New Zealander living in Dubai said he was in two minds about whether to try and leave.
Kaea Samson has been in the United Arab Emirates since January, and is awaiting a work visa so he can coach basketball there.
He could see smoke and hear missiles being intercepted, which look to be about 20 kilometres away from his apartment, he said.
Samson has packed an emergency bag but he was not sure whether to try and leave - or how that would be possible.
He would like to get back to his partner and two children in Whangārei.
"I have advice here that ... it won't be too bad in Dubai, but then I also have my partner who's worked at Immigration, and she's just saying, get out of there before things kick off," he said.
"But with the airport currently shut there's just nothing we can do."
Samson says he's worried about what's to come in the next week or so.
He is in a group chat with other expats who have "mixed emotions".
"Some people are just trying to stay calm, some people are freaking out."
They were all helping each other register with Safe Travel and know where safe points were "if anything happens".
Samson said he had registered with Safe Travel but would like to hear directly from the New Zealand government.
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