KUALA LUMPUR: About 1,600 Malaysian umrah pilgrims have been reported stranded in Saudi Arabia following flight cancellations and disruptions by several airlines due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, said Malaysia’s Consul General in Jeddah, Tengku Mohd Dzaraif Raja Abdul Kadir.
He said the consulate has successfully reached 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 on Bernama TV’s Malaysia Petang Ini programme on Tuesday (March 3).
Tengku Mohd Dzaraif said most of the stranded pilgrims were scheduled to return home on Malaysia Airlines flights, as well as other carriers including Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad.
According to him, there are still direct flights from Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur via Saudia Airlines, in addition to limited AirAsia services.
"Many pilgrims have taken the initiative themselves, or through their travel agents, to switch their flights to Saudia Airlines, and several groups have successfully returned to Malaysia.
"Malaysia Airlines has also generously provided accommodation for pilgrims who were scheduled to return on its flights,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said 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 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. 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. Airlines are aware of their responsibilities and are working to find solutions to resume operations,” he said.
The current crisis in the Middle East has prompted several countries to close or restrict their airspace as a precautionary measure, affecting international commercial flight operations.
The uncertain situation has also disrupted flight schedules to and from several major Middle East hubs, including Saudi Arabia, as airlines have been forced to cancel or reschedule flights for safety reasons.- Bernama
