Middle East conflict |06 March 2026

Minister Laporte welcoming passengers from the ‘Pti Merl De Zil’ flight HM1055 at the Seychelles International Airport yesterday

140 Seychellois safely back after harrowing UAE ordeal

By Chelsea Laporte

Air Seychelles’ ‘Pti Merl De Zil’ flight HM1055 landed at 5.40pm at the Seychelles International Airport yesterday carrying 140 Seychellois passengers who had been stranded in Dubai following the closure of the airspace.

Present to welcome the passengers after their long, unexpected journey, was the Minister for Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation, Veronique Laporte.

Some of them claimed they were regaining the country after nearly 29 hours of travel.

Seychelles NATION spoke to three passengers who shared their experience of the unexpected delay. Among them was Petra Volcère, a student at Murdoch University Dubai. She shared that it was a normal day, until she was notified of the developing situation by the office of the Seychelles ambassador in the United Arab Emirates. This prompted her and other colleagues to reach out to other Seychellois students studying at different universities, many of whom were initially unaware of what was happening.

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