The Swedish police sent a force to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, on Thursday to help stranded Swedes in the country. The action came after a request from the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (UD) late on Wednesday evening. On Thursday afternoon, the police force was on its way to Abu Dhabi.
The police's mission is to develop an evacuation plan for travelers with special needs to quickly return home to Sweden. This includes families with small children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Currently, it involves about 200 Swedish citizens, a number that may change.
We are always ready to support when Swedish authorities act abroad. We also have preparedness to quickly send more resources or special expertise if UD assesses that it is needed.
The police will review travel documents and ID papers, and assist with security-related issues. The exact security-related issues the police are assisting with in Abu Dhabi have not been specified. An emergency team is already in place in the region to offer consular assistance.
An estimated 4,000 Swedes are stranded in Dubai and Qatar, while an estimated 20,000 Swedish citizens are resident around the Persian Gulf. The travel organizer TUI has flown home 20 Swedes from the region. It is not the first time Swedish police have been sent abroad to help Swedish citizens; as recently as 2023, they were at the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
We are staying as long as needed. The starting point, however, is that when airspace opens, Swedes should as much as possible get to Sweden on their own.
Linda Hedmark, head of the operational unit Noa, stated, 'We are always ready to support when Swedish authorities act abroad. ' She added, 'We are staying as long as needed. ' The specific event or crisis that caused the airspace closure and stranded Swedes in Dubai and Qatar remains unclear.
When the airspace is expected to reopen to allow Swedes to travel home on their own has not been announced. The criteria used to prioritize evacuation for families, the elderly, and people with disabilities have not been detailed. How many additional police resources or special expertise are available if needed by UD is unknown.