Singapore repatriation flight from Middle East brings home 218 citizens amid regional conflict

SINGAPORE — A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) A330 multi role tanker transport aircraft returned with 218 Singapore citizens and their dependants from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the largest repatriation flight arranged from the Middle East so far, according to The Straits Times. 

The flight, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) amid ongoing disruptions to commercial air travel caused by the Middle East conflict, touched down at Changi Airport Terminal 2 at about 6.02am on March 11 after about seven hours in the air.

Among the passengers was 28-year-old engineer Tan Wei Heng, who described seeing RSAF military warrant officers serving meals aboard the flight as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”.

Passengers, who did not have to pay for the flight, were told to expect limited cabin service but were provided one meal, with options including fish and rice, chicken, or vegetarian.

The repatriation effort follows two earlier flights from Muscat, Oman, on March 7 and March 8 that brought home Singaporeans and their dependents via Singapore Airlines-operated services.

Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad, speaking to reporters at Changi, said the government wanted to assure citizens that it would support them, including through the deployment of military repatriation flights.

According to the English daily, he described it as a “relief” to see Singaporeans and their families reunited with loved ones on home soil after their return from the Middle East.

Scenes at the arrival hall were emotional, with some relatives greeting passengers with warm hugs, balloons and even a birthday cake for a young boy who had celebrated his eighth birthday while stranded abroad.

Other passengers told The Straits Times that they had made long ground transfers before boarding the RSAF flight, with journeys from places such as Dubai to Riyadh arranged by MFA.

Healthcare worker Amanda Er, who had been stranded in Doha with her elderly mother, said she was relieved after what she described as an “11 day nightmare”.

She noted that the military personnel serving aboard always wore a smile, and passengers applauded them both on takeoff from Riyadh and on landing in Singapore.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, in a Facebook post, said the government deployed the RSAF aircraft because some locations in the region were not accessible by commercial flights, and thanked Saudi Arabia and other partners for facilitating safe passage.

MFA said on March 9 that the deployment was to assist Singaporeans in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and that a second RSAF flight is being planned to bring home more citizens on March 12.