A special plane sent by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to evacuate Emirati citizens in Florida arrived in Washington on Friday. Emiratis on board were welcomed on the tarmac by the UAE's deputy chief of mission, Omar Al Shamsi. Hurricane Irma, a category 5 storm the size of France, is expected to reach mainland United States on Saturday or Sunday. With winds up to 300kph, it has battered the Caribbean from Antigua & Barbuda to Haiti. Cuba is next in its path before it moves towards Florida. The UAE Embassy in Washington urged Emiratis still in Florida to contact mission in case of emergency on the following hotlines: Those in need of urgent help can also call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on the emergency phone number <strong>(0097180044444)</strong>. Earlier, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/dubai-ruler-sends-emergency-aid-to-caribbean-after-hurricane-irma-1.626514">sent 90 metric tonnes of aid bound for Haiti </a>after the Caribbean nation was hit by the strongest Atlantic storm on record. __________________ More on Hurricane Irma <strong>Explainer: <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/world/superstorm-irma-warmer-climate-means-devastating-storms-have-more-fuel-in-the-engine-1.626388">warmer climate means devastating storms have more 'fuel in the engine'</a></strong> <strong><a href="https://www.thenational.ae/world/the-americas/hurricane-irma-turns-barbuda-to-rubble-as-storm-the-size-of-france-churns-through-the-caribbean-1.626488">Hurricane Irma turns Barbuda to 'rubble' as storm the size of France churns through the Caribbean</a></strong>
