Coordination Team meeting

The decision to organise the flight was made based on information gathered by the consular services, which are in regular contact with Polish citizens, local authorities, and medical services. This allowed compiling a list of names of several dozen persons who are staying in the United Arab Emirates and are in need of urgent assistance.

The decision to send air transport for those in need due to health reasons is now being implemented. Within a dozen or so hours a medical priority aircraft should land in Oman

- said Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the meeting of the Coordination Team for the Situation in the Middle East, held today at the MFA.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski said that the United Arab Emirates is partially opening its airspace. The MFA makes every effort so that as many flights for as possible arrive in Poland with Polish citizens on board who have been waiting with tickets to return to the country.

Since the beginning of its work, the Coordination Team cooperates with the Polish Chamber of Commerce and key carriers. Minister of Sport and Tourism Jakub Rutnicki stated that 574 people have returned safely to Poland since yesterday. Today, a plane carrying 189 Polish citizens onboard left the United Arab Emirates to safely land in Oman and its passengers will be arriving in Poland later today.

Additional transports through Muscat airport are being prepared, and within the next three days around 1,800 Poles will return home. At the same time, we are taking action to help our citizens in Asia, and tomorrow the first LOT Polish Airlines aircraft will fly to Sri Lanka and then to the Maldives, bringing 250 Polish tourists back home

- Minister Rutnicki said.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk has appointed the interministerial Coordination Team, which includes representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, the Foreign Intelligence Agency, as well as LOT Polish Airlines, Orlen SA, and the Polish Chamber of Tourism. The Team held its first meeting yesterday. As a result of its work, travel agencies have decided to suspend offering package holidays in Oman.

The Polish Government is continuously monitoring the situation and remains ready to take further action depending on how events unfold. Every decision is made with the safety of Polish citizens in mind, which requires particular caution.

Crisis teams are operating at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at Polish missions across the Middle East. Consuls are on duty around the clock and remain in constant contact with carriers and local authorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an additional hotline for Polish citizens. Information about the current situation in the region can be obtained at: +48 22 523 88 80.