‘No one knew what’ll happen next’: Esha Gupta returns to India, recalls chilling hours stranded at Abu Dhabi airport amid missile strikes

Esha praised the professionalism and composure of the Abu Dhabi airport authorities: “Here, I would like to mention that what I saw was the strength of a country, the UAE. We were at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The ground staff and airport security immediately sprang into action and stayed calm throughout, even though we were all in this situation together. I hadn’t checked in myself by then, so I took a turn and left for my hotel in Abu Dhabi.”

She went on to explain how passengers were provided accommodations at available hotels and highlighted the dedication of hotel staff: “Hotel management were in the same clothes as the night before, still working, still active, taking care of everything, answering questions they were unaware of as well, to the best of their ability. The delivery personnel (Careem) were still out there delivering. There was no shortage of any service anywhere. The lobby was full of people, including us, due to the security alert, scared, but no chaos. The hotel security kept reassuring everyone. Not once did we see the people, all scared internally, create stress; we were all in this together.”

She concluded her post by thanking everyone who helped ensure her safe return: “Thank you to everyone who helped and is helping people of the world get back home. Your country is truly special.”

 

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‘Coming home’: Sonal Chauhan

Meanwhile, Sonal Chauhan, who had previously sought the Indian government’s assistance to return safely, is now on her way back to India. She shared updates on Instagram Tuesday afternoon, posting stories from Oman Airport and showing her journey to catch her flight. In one clip, she flaunted her passport en route to the plane, while in another, she featured the song “Coming Home” by Skylar Grey.

‘Safe in Dubai’: Honey Singh

Musician Honey Singh, also in the UAE, reassured fans of his safety through Instagram, sharing a video from a recording studio in Dubai with the caption: “We safe in Dubai guys. Working.” Recently, actor Vishnu Manchu, also updated fans on X (formerly Twitter), thanking Dubai authorities for ensuring his family’s safety: “To everyone concerned about our safety, thank you. We are safe in Dubai. The family is safe. Aside from occasional distant sounds, life continues with calm and order. In tense times, what stands out is the quiet efficiency and brilliant preparedness on the ground. Grateful to the UAE authorities for their steady leadership.”