A British businesswoman has described her relief at returning home from Dubai after witnessing debris crash into a hotel and missiles streaking overhead amid the conflict in the Middle East.
Zoe Jackson told The Standard she felt 'really super lucky' to have landed back in the UK, having travelled to Dubai on Thursday, February 26, just before the conflict began. She and her colleague Annalisa Rigby were in the UAE for business, one of many trips they make each year for the company Shire & Wold Staffing, a private household staffing agency.
On Saturday evening, Zoe and her colleague went from their hotel in the business district to meet a client for a drink at Atlantis, The Palm. She said: 'We sat having a cocktail outside when we saw debris come down onto The Fairmont. Then we could see missiles going above our heads. It was pretty scary, people went into pandemonium - it was pretty intense.'
Zoe was desperate to get home, with an 11-year-old and a five-year-old waiting for her. She said: 'The thought of not getting home, it's kind of unthinkable to be honest.' Fortunately, Zoe and Annalisa made friends with two women, Nikita and Nita Godhania, who had helpful connections. She said: 'We befriended a mother and daughter at our hotel who knew the manager at the Emirates hotel, and somehow got the information on when to leave. We got a call to our bedroom at 1am saying we had to leave right now.'
They were then rushed in 'blacked-out' Emirates cars to the 'empty' airport, through the Emirates VIP area and to her flight. Despite being based in Oxfordshire, she readily accepted the flight which landed in Manchester, eager to get the first flight available. She has now confirmed to The Standard that she was able to get on a flight back to the UK which landed on Tuesday afternoon.
