US citizens in the Middle East describe 'mayhem' trying to get home

Americans travelling in the Middle East say it has been "mayhem" trying to get back home as the US-Israel war with Iran is felt throughout the region.

The US is advising its citizens in fourteen countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Qatar, to "depart now" as security warnings put embassies on lock down.

But some tourists report that there are no flights and no clear instructions on how to get out.

The US State Department said on Tuesday that it is securing military and charter aircrafts to pick up American citizens who want to leave the Middle East. For now, though, many travellers say they are being forced to wait or find their own way out.

An advisory posted on Monday afternoon urges Americans to "depart now via commercial means" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

But leaving by commercial airline has proved impossible for many travellers.

Florida resident Krista Jucknath Hickman and her husband Mike were forced to drive across the border from the United Arab Emirates to Oman after their anniversary vacation turned to "chaos".

The couple was making a three stop trip, starting in Dubai, then heading to Nepal and India. Their flight was set to depart the Dubai airport on Saturday when it was halted on the tarmac as military strikes hit Iran.

That day, the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi issued a security alert, advising all Americans in the country to shelter in place.

"Everything stopped," Hickman told the BBC, and they were forced to spend a full night and day at the crowded Dubai airport.

Hickman, who is a federal employee, said that she registered with the State Department before her trip but never got a security alert. She tried to contact the embassy and her airline, but no one could offer her clear guidance.

"The orders are not realistic, not supportive," she said. "The number provided by the State Department for support is unable to help. I called twice. Both times I was told there are no evacuation procedures in place."

She added: "All that can be done is book flights that don't take off."

The couple eventually managed to book a driver to take them across the border into Oman. Prices are rocketing, she said, and they ended up paying $1,000 for the trip.

Bound for Muscat, she's not sure what the rest of her journey holds.

"If we can get to India we may go there for the rest of our trip, otherwise whatever flight gets us out of the Middle East," she said.

State Department spokesperson Dylan Johnson said the government is currently in contact with 3,000 travellers and a statement released by the department said that 9,000 Americans have already successfully returned to the US from the region over the last few days.

The statement said that charter flights will soon be available to evacuate Americans from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Another US citizen, former Army Major General Randy Manner, said he is still trying to make it out of the airport in Dubai, which he describes as "mayhem".

"We started to load the aircraft then we were all taken back to the terminal. Then we were dumped somewhere where we were not supposed to be," he said, adding that the pilot and crew eventually timed out and had to be replaced before they could depart.

"They also said that if we fly out at all, we would be the last plane out tonight. Only 25 or so flights got out today compared to the hundreds normally scheduled."

Between 500,000 and one million US nationals are estimated to be living in the Middle East.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed them in a video message on Monday.

"At the Department of State, our number one priority is the safety and security of American citizens everywhere in the world," he said, adding that citizens can reach State Department help lines 24/7.

Texas resident Harsheet Kummaraguntla said his mother was on a flight from Doha, Qatar, to Dallas when the US and Israel first struck Iran. The flight ended up turning back and landing in Doha again.

"She does not live there, Doha was just a layover. She is unfortunately trapped currently due to the airspace closure in Doha," Kummaraguntla said.

This is his mother's second time ever travelling alone, he said, and there have been no instructions from the Qatar or US government about evacuations or repatriation flights.

"For the first few hours it was complete turmoil," he said. "After catching up with the news and staying at a relative's house over the past few days, she and I are both a lot calmer and just waiting for the situation to cool down, and for her to safely return to the United States."

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