KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has withdrawn from the All England Open Badminton Championships after surviving what she described as a terrifying brush with an explosion at Dubai International Airport.

The two-time Olympic medallist had been scheduled to open her campaign today against Thailand’s Supanida Katethong, but remained stranded in the Middle East as flight cancellations and regional security fears escalated amid tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Sindhu recounted the ordeal in an Instagram Story, saying the blast erupted frighteningly close to where she and her team were sheltering inside the airport.

“The ordeal continues to unfold, and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour. A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport,” she wrote.

She said her coach narrowly avoided the worst.

“My coach ran out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an extremely tense and scary moment for all of us.”

Sindhu later assured fans that her team had made it to safety, praising airport workers and Indian officials for keeping them calm as the situation unfolded.

“We are all safe now, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff and authorities at the Dubai Airport. A special thanks as well to the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their support and constant assistance in helping keep us safe,” she said.

That relief, however, came with the unavoidable decision to withdraw from one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments, as all outgoing flights were cancelled or diverted.

“For now, we are trying to get some rest and hold on to hope as we wait for things to settle,” she added.

Sindhu confirmed in a post on X on Tuesday that she has since returned to Bangalore, bringing a chaotic end to what should have been the start of her All England campaign.