‘Situation is frightening,’ says PV Sindhu, stranded at Dubai airport amid Middle East tensions

Dubai: Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu was left stranded at Dubai airport on Saturday while travelling to the All England Open badminton tournament after flight operations were suspended due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The tournament is scheduled to begin next Tuesday.

Sindhu shared updates on X, describing tense scenes at the airport. She said an explosion occurred close to where she and her team were waiting, forcing her coach to quickly move away from smoke and debris.

"It was an extremely tense and scary moment for all of us. We are all safe now and have been moved to a more secure place," she wrote, thanking Dubai airport staff, local authorities and the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their support.

In another post, Sindhu said the rapid escalation of tensions was "terrifying" and that airports were chaotic, with many families stranded and waiting for flights. She also posted a video on Instagram showing a crowded airport, captioned: "All flights suspended until further notice.”

The Indian shuttler said she was safe but stuck in Dubai with her team as they waited for the situation to stabilise.

The disruption follows a major offensive launched by the United States and Israel on Iran on Saturday, which has led to airspace closures across parts of the Gulf region. Several flights, including those operated by Emirates and Air India, have been affected.