'Situation becoming more frightening by the hour': PV Sindhu shares terrifying update from Dubai

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has been stuck in Dubai for more than eight hours. Missile-related issues in Gulf airspace caused flights in the region to be suspended indefinitely. Sindhu was travelling to Birmingham for the All England Open, which starts next Tuesday, with Dubai as a layover. The sudden stop in airport activities has raised serious worries about whether she will arrive in England in time for the tournament.

Providing an update on Sunday morning, Sindhu wrote on X, "The ordeal continues to unfold and the situation is becoming more frightening by the hour."

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Describing a particularly alarming moment at the airport, she stated, "A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run 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."

'We are all safe now'

She reassured her fans of her safety and wrote, "We are all safe now and have been moved to a more secure place, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at Dubai Airport and the Dubai authorities. A special thanks as well to the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their incredible support and constant assistance in helping keep us safe."

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

This was her second public update since the disruption started. On Saturday, Sindhu posted a video from a crowded airport. The caption read, "All flights suspended until further notice."

Later, she shared that she was safe but could not leave with her team. She commented on how quickly the tensions had risen and described the situation as "terrifying".

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"It’s hard to process what’s unfolding right now. Hearing the interceptions overhead and seeing how quickly everything has escalated is honestly terrifying. So many disturbing videos are coming to light, and this is sadly the reality of what is happening. Dubai is a city I deeply love, a place that has always felt safe and full of life, which makes this moment even harder to comprehend," she had stated on Saturday.

Dubai airports suspend operations

According to Reuters, Dubai Airports confirmed that operations at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport were suspended until further notice. Passengers were advised not to travel to the airport.

Emirates temporarily halted flights to and from Dubai due to regional airspace closures. Flydubai also suspended its services. Etihad Airways said departures from Abu Dhabi were paused until 1000 GMT on Sunday, and certain arrivals were cancelled, as per India Today.

Dubai International handled nearly 100 million passengers last year. As a major global transit hub, disruptions there have had immediate international impact.