A group of 29 Cypriots remains stranded on a cruise ship in the port of Doha after departures were suspended because of military escalation in the wider region.
According to a passenger who spoke to Philenews, the trip had started normally after the group left Cyprus on Clean Monday, with scheduled stops in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Qatar.
Since Saturday, however, the vessel has stayed anchored in Doha and has not been allowed to sail. Passengers are in continuous contact with the Cypriot embassy, which is monitoring the case and coordinating next steps.
The same account says passengers were asked to complete forms for a possible evacuation by military aircraft, but there is still no final confirmation that such a flight will take place. Although Qatar’s airspace has reopened, disruptions on routes to Cyprus remain.
Most people in the group are elderly, and several have health issues. The embassy intervened to help secure required medication. At intervals, passengers are allowed short disembarkation periods at the port.
