Twins Benson and Jackson Andrews said they are thrilled to finally be home after spending 50 days in limbo at Dubai International Airport when airports in India closed while they were in transit.
Now in mandatory quarantine at a hospital in Kerala state, the pair told The National they are looking forward to seeing their parents when they are given the all-clear.
The 30-year-old identical twins were caught inside Dubai’s Terminal 3 after flying in from Lisbon on March 19, the same day that India closed airports to all passengers from Europe to halt the spread of coronavirus. The country subsequently banned all flights and implemented the world’s largest lockdown to try to slow the spread.
“We were stunned. We had our boarding pass and tickets in hand but suddenly we were told that we cannot go home… we were clueless,” said Benson, who along with his brother arrived in India on a special flight.
The pair, who work as cashiers at a supermarket in Lisbon, had been planning for the trip for almost two years and were looking forward to spending their holiday with their parents in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
“We were desperately looking to fly back to India and meet our parents. But no flights were allowing boarding to us and slowly all flights to India were shut,” he said.
For the first 10 days, the brothers were restricted to the terminal building, sleeping on the benches and spending up to $200 (Dh734) of their savings on food. They say they feared contracting the virus from one of the thousands of passengers that thronged the airport every day.
Without their luggage, the pair wore the same clothes for almost a week before a friend brought them essential items at the airport gate, including something warm to stave off the cool airport air conditioning.
“These were the most horrifying days of my life. It was like a nightmare. I had sleepless nights,” Jackson said of the time before authorities paid for them to stay in a hotel within the terminal on the eleventh day.
“Even though we had food and a room, we were stuck with no promise of going home sooner,” he said.
For weeks, their desperation was echoed by tens of thousands of Indians stranded across the globe, clamouring to return to their homes and calling on the Indian government to launch a special repatriation program.
India, where more than 70,000 Covid-19 cases have been detected, is under a 10-week lockdown that began in late March.
The twins were among the 354 Indians, including 11 pregnant women, who were flown from Dubai to Kochi on May 7 under the Indian government scheme that gives priority to stranded tourists, students, people with life-threatening conditions and pregnant women.
So far, some 9,000 people have been brought back in nearly 70 flights from across the globe.
More than 1,000 among them were from the UAE, where some 200,000 requests have been made by Indians wanting to return home.
For Athira Geetha Sreedharan, a 32-week pregnant woman who was among the first batch repatriated to India, the over three-hour journey was nothing short of a miracle.
The 27-year-old mother-to-be from Kozhikode in Kerala lived with her mechanical engineer husband Nithin Sreedharan, 29, in Dubai.
She had plans to return to her home state for the delivery of her first child and had even approached India’s Supreme Court for help returning when the lockdown was imposed.
The young couple said they were worried about remaining in the UAE as Mr Sreedharan works at a construction company, a sector not shut down during the country’s lockdown and a job that involved meeting numerous people every day.
"It is my first baby and I am a little scared. I wanted to be with my parents for the birth of my child. I had already planned to travel back to India but couldn't because of the lockdown. We have no relative in Dubai…I was sad," Athira told The National.
The heavily pregnant woman completed her journey wearing a complete PPE, despite feeling suffocated and restless, the mother-to-be said she was only thinking about being with her parents.
On the same flight, Professor PJ Joy flew with his 91-year-old mother Thresiya Joseph.
They were visiting Mr Joy’s sister in Dubai in early March and were scheduled to be back to Kottayam in Kerala by April 9.
“But by then, the lockdown was imposed both in the UAE and India. Initially, we were happy as lockdown meant we could stay for an extra two weeks at my sister’s place but gradually, things started changing… the lockdown was extended and air travel was suspended indefinitely,” Professor Joy said.
A few positive coronavirus cases emerged in the residential building where they were staying, prompting the 51-year-old mathematics professor to worry for his ageing mother.
“As the days went by, my worries for my mother kept growing. She has no age-related condition but there was always the fear of what if something happens to her.
“All I wanted was to bring her home safely, where she belongs,” said Professor Joy, who is still under home-quarantine.
For Krishna Das, a businessman in Abu Dhabi, the repatriation flight came a huge relief to bring back his grieving mother-in-law after she lost her husband suddenly to cardiac arrest.
Mr Sreekumar, 71, a retired college professor and Mrs Sreekumar, 70, were visiting their daughter Sreeja, 38, a teacher in Sharjah.
The couple from Kozhikode in Kerala were to travel back on April 12 but a night before, Mr Sreekumar suffered chest pains and died of a heart attack at a local hospital.
“My mother-in-law is devastated. The last few weeks were traumatising for us. Because of the lockdown, we couldn’t bring his body back home and had to cremate him in Sharjah.
“We will now observe the rituals here with other family members,” he said.
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
LIGUE 1 FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Nice v Angers (9pm)
Lille v Monaco (10.45pm)
Saturday
Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain (7pm)
Bordeaux v Guingamp (10pm)
Caen v Amiens (10pm)
Lyon v Dijon (10pm)
Metz v Troyes (10pm)
Sunday
Saint-Etienne v Rennes (5pm)
Strasbourg v Nantes (7pm)
Marseille v Toulouse (11pm)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
Results
2pm: Serve U – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Violent Justice, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
2.30pm: Al Shafar Investment – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Desert Wisdom, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ahmed Al Shemaili
3pm: Commercial Bank of Dubai – Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Fawaareq, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
3.30pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
4pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Rakeez, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
4.30pm: Al Redha Insurance Brokers – Handicap (TB) Dh78,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Capla Crusader, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Cricket World Cup League Two
Teams
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
Fixtures
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
Sukuk explained
Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
Biography
Favourite drink: Must have karak chai and Chinese tea every day
Favourite non-Chinese food: Arabic sweets and Indian puri, small round bread of wheat flour
Favourite Chinese dish: Spicy boiled fish or anything cooked by her mother because of its flavour
Best vacation: Returning home to China
Music interests: Enjoys playing the zheng, a string musical instrument
Enjoys reading: Chinese novels, romantic comedies, reading up on business trends, government policy changes
Favourite book: Chairman Mao Zedong’s poems
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
