BBC man stuck in Dubai describes eerie atmosphere

A BBC presenter stranded in Dubai due to missile strikes in the Middle East said the atmosphere in the city was "eerie" and "spooky" as he took shelter.

BBC Radio Suffolk's Luke Deal, who lives near Colchester in Essex, said he was lying on a beach with his wife on Saturday when they heard explosions and were told by hotel staff to then get inside.

Israel and the US had launched an attack against Iran that day. Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region.

Deal's flight home on Monday was cancelled along with hundreds of others and said he had felt his hotel room shaking as air defence systems intercepted missiles.

Deal said he and his wife heard "these loud explosions" in the Palm Jumeirah area on Saturday morning, but due to large construction sites in the area, they initially dismissed the noise.

"So we just blatantly thought they'd dropped some concrete, but then during the course of the day those large bangs, the explosions, continued," Deal told BBC Radio Suffolk's Wayne Bavin.

"It wasn't until about two or three o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday when I was dozing on the sunbed and security came running along the beach saying, 'Please get off the sunbeds, get into the hotel now'.

"As we looked above our heads we saw two big plumes of smoke where the air defence systems had intercepted a couple of missiles or a couple of drones."

Thousands of flights have been grounded in the region and dozens of people killed in missile strikes.

The UK government is understood to be formulating plans to evacuate UK nationals should airspace in the region remain closed.

In Dubai, several hotels and buildings have been struck while the city's airport was also hit.

The Foreign Office has warned British citizens against all but essential travel to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.

Deal said Emirates had rescheduled his flight for the early hours of Wednesday, but he was unsure it would be going ahead.

He added that Dubai was quiet as tourists and residents took shelter.

"We went out and stood on the beach last night at around about half past eight, nine o'clock, looking toward the marina part of Dubai, two nights before then it was all lit up, it was glowing and there was a buzz.

"Last night was really eerie, it was quiet, there was no noise at all."

He added: "All you could hear was the fish in the sea in front of us plopping and diving and that was it.

"It was kind of spooky."

Deal said he had spoken with other tourists who were scared and concerned.

James Cartlidge, Conservative South Suffolk MP and shadow defence minister, said he was concerned for British nationals in the region.

"Hopefully the Foreign Office will be sharing as much information as possible," he added.

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