164 Maharashtra tourists stranded in UAE return on special flights, says Shiv Sena

MUMBAI: A total of 164 tourists from Maharashtra, stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict, returned home in two special flights arranged by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, a Shiv Sena functionary said on Wednesday. The two aircraft, carrying 76 and 88 passengers respectively, landed in Mumbai on Tuesday night. Among those who returned were 84 students from Pune-based Indira School of Business Studies, along with residents of Thane, Ahilyanagar and Pune, the functionary said. The special flights were arranged by Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, the party leader added. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Shinde’s office said the two flights carrying stranded Maharashtra residents took off from Fujairah Airport in the UAE at 3.30pm and 4.30pm for Mumbai. “The Shiv Sena was successful in bringing back many residents from Maharashtra who were stranded in Dubai,” Shinde said in a post on X, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah for their leadership. He further said it was satisfying to provide relief to residents who were under tremendous pressure.