Missile attacks in Dubai left Dorset couple stranded for nearly three weeks
A Dorset couple’s short trip to Dubai quickly turned into the holiday from Hell as the region was hit by missiles
A Dorset couple, who were left stranded in Dubai for nearly three weeks after airport closures and missile alerts brought travel to a halt, have finally returned home.
Revd Louise and Revd Richard White, who serve parishes across the Isle of Purbeck, had travelled to Dubai on February 27th for what was meant to be a short six-day family visit.
Instead, within hours of their arrival, airports shut down unexpectedly, leaving them unable to return home.
“We landed just before midnight and the following morning received messages telling us the airports were shut,” Louise said. “At first, we thought it must be a rumour. It took a while to understand what was really happening.”
As the situation unfolded, missile interception alerts became part of daily life.
The couple said they received warnings on their phones at least twice a day during the early stages of the crisis, often accompanied by visible smoke trails from intercepted drones and missiles overhead.
Despite the threat, Louise described a striking sense of normality returning to the city. “It was very real and very nearby initially,” she said. “But people soon adapted – parks were busy, cafés were full and people were just getting on with life.”
The couple developed routines to cope, including regular visits to a local shopping centre, which they felt offered greater safety due to its enclosed, windowless areas.
After sharing updates online, they received an outpouring of messages from parishioners and friends across Dorset.
Louise said: “We felt carried by people’s prayers as our parishioners were sending pictures of services. It was overwhelming in the most wonderful way.”
Even their eventual departure was clouded by uncertainty, with more missile alerts forcing passengers to evacuate the gate and seek shelter.
After 18 days abroad, triple the length of their planned trip, the couple finally returned safely to the UK, where they were met by a churchwarden from their parish.
For Louise, the experience underscored both the fragility of normal life and the strength of community ties.