In just a few hours, the Middle East turned into a war zone, and thousands of tourists found themselves on a cruise in the middle of the crisis, writes the German Bild. There are about 3,500 passengers on board.
The cruise ship “Mein Schiff 4”, owned by the company TUI Cruises, is currently anchored in the port of Port Zayed in Abu Dhabi, where a powerful explosion resounded around noon German time.
In Abu Dhabi, a missile fell near a cruise ship
Photos taken by passengers show smoke rising above the Zayed Port.
The situation on board the ship was tense.
One passenger reported that shortly after the explosion, the crew instructed passengers to go inside, avoid windows,… pic.twitter.com/lj4Pp3VKOH
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 1, 2026
The Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates subsequently announced that it was an attack by two Iranian drones.
According to the authorities, the aircraft hit a warehouse at the Al Salam naval base, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the port, and two containers caught fire.
Passengers described dramatic moments on board.
“Around 4:30 p.m. we received an emergency alert on our cell phones and we were ordered to gather in the ship’s theater immediately,” said one passenger.
“A strong explosion rang out in the immediate vicinity,” added another passenger.
“The crew told us to go inside, get away from the window and stay calm.”
According to testimonies, there is fear and uncertainty among the passengers. There are many families with children on board, and many are worried about the possibility of new attacks.
On March 1, the cruise ship was scheduled to continue a seven-day “Enchantment of the Orient” cruise, which includes stops in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Khasab, Muscat and Doha. However, it is now, along with five other cruisers, detained in the region.
In addition to “Mein Schiff 4”, there is also “Mein Schiff 5” in Doha, also owned by TUI. “MSC Euribia” of MSC Cruises, “Celestyal Discovery” and “Celestyal Journey” of Celestyal Cruises and “Aroya” owned by Aroya Cruises are anchored in Dubai. All companies have canceled planned trips and are working in cooperation with local authorities to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
(Vijesti.ba)
