MANILA — More than 40 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) found themselves back at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 after their flight bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was diverted due to escalating military tensions in the Middle East.
The flight was unable to proceed with its landing after Israeli and US forces launched what they described as a “preemptive” strike against Iran’s military infrastructure, prompting heightened security alerts and the closure of parts of Middle Eastern airspace.
The military action, announced on February 28, follows rising fears of missile attacks and broader conflict in the region. Iran’s airspace was also closed as the strikes unfolded, and sirens sounded across Israel as authorities warned civilians of possible retaliation.
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ABS-CBN News spoke with several OFWs who returned to Manila late Saturday night, visibly tired after being forced to turn back mid-journey. The group had originally started their five-hour flight with hopes of working abroad, only to have it cut short in light of safety concerns over the unfolding geopolitical crisis.
One of them was first-time OFW Lanie Montalla from Kalibo, Aklan, who was headed to work as a housekeeper at a hospital in Riyadh.
“Naka-five hours flight na kami tapos pagdating doon sa India, nag-announce na yung pilot namin na hindi kami pwede makalapag dun kasi nga may gyera. Nag-decide na lang ang piloto na magbalik na lang dito sa Manila,” Montalla said.
She detailed how their journey began at around 11 a.m. on February 28 and how they reached Indian airspace by 5 p.m. before returning to Manila late that night.
Despite the inconvenience, Montalla said she was relieved to be back in the country.
“Thankful pa rin kahit na nakakapagod,” she said.
Montalla said that if her deployment does not push through, she would return home to the province and look for local work instead of forcing another overseas trip.
Another OFW from Davao, Grace, shared her emotional response to the situation.
“Natatakot. Mixed emotions,” she said, but added with resilience, “Laban lang.”
“Maliit lang sweldo dito sa Pinas e. Kung malaki lang, hindi na kami mag-aabroad,” she said.
After waiting at the airport with their luggage in tow, the group was met by two L300 vans arranged by their recruitment agency and brought to hotel accommodations while they awaited updates on flight rescheduling.
According to the OFWs, their recruitment agency has yet to provide a clear plan, and no government agency has issued any notice regarding the next steps.
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FILIPINOS BOUND FOR DOHA STRANDED IN KARACHI
Several flights from the Philippines going to the Middle East were diverted to other areas following the outbreak of hostilities between the US, Israel and Iran.
Qatar Airways flight QR935 was one of several flights coming from Manila en route to the Middle East, which were diverted to Karachi, Pakistan, following the closure of the airspace over the Gulf countries.
The flight was carrying around 400 passengers, many of them Filipinos, who work in Qatar. It left Manila at around 10:20 in the morning, and was supposed to land at the Doha Airport at 2:25 pm Qatar time or 7:25 Manila time. It was just around two hours away from Doha, when the pilot announced that the plane would turn around and land in Karachi instead.
The plane landed at the Pakistan airport around 3:40 pm local time, or 6:40 Manila time. But it took another five hours before they were allowed to deplane as airline officials negotiated with airport officials.
Rudy Callanta, who works as an engineer on an offshore gas rig in Qatar said this was the first time that he experienced this.
“First time po na nangyari sa akin sa almost 20 years na nagtrabaho ako sa Qatar at nagpapabalik-balik,” Callanta said.
Rodrigo Caranda, who also works in Qatar with his wife, meanwhile recalled how the hostilities between Iran and Israel also led to attacks on Qatar last year. The airspace over Qatar was also ordered closed as missiles hit the US airbase in the Gulf country.
“Nakaka-nerbiyos. Kita mo yung mga missile eh, syempre makakita ka ng ganun nenerbyosin ka talaga,” Caranda said.
While passengers were deplaning, the pilot said he looked forward to resuming the flight the next day.
However, it remains uncertain if the hostilities would have subsided by then, and the airspace over the Gulf reopened.
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