Thousands of British nationals stranded in Oman due to the ongoing conflict faced further uncertainty after the UK government's first evacuation flight failed to depart as scheduled.
The government-chartered aircraft, meant to fly British citizens from Muscat to London Heathrow, did not take off due to technical problems, confirmed the UK Foreign Office.
Passengers had completed check-in procedures and were transported to the plane by bus, but delays stretched for hours before the flight was eventually cancelled for the night.
One passenger recounted the chaos, saying people were left waiting on buses near the aircraft for about 90 minutes, with some experiencing panic attacks and agitated behavior.
Authorities later said the flight is expected to depart later after the technical problems are resolved and operational arrangements are made.
