The German government is intensifying its efforts to evacuate German citizens from the crisis region in the Middle East.
Following the successful execution of three special flights from Oman, another repatriation operation is now planned from the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced that a chartered Sundair plane will bring German citizens home next Sunday afternoon. This measure is part of a coordinated crisis management effort by the Foreign Office to respond to the unstable security situation and the widespread restrictions on regular air traffic.
The logistical plan prioritizes particularly vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, the sick, and the elderly. Since direct flights from many parts of the Gulf region are currently suspended, these individuals will first be transported overland from the Emirate of Qatar to Saudi Arabia. There, they will be gathered at Riyadh's international airport for onward transport to Germany. This coordination is being carried out in close cooperation with local authorities, and the overland route through the desert is considered one of the safest remaining transfer options due to the current tensions.
According to current information from the crisis preparedness list "Elefand," more than 35.000 German citizens are currently registered in the affected region. However, the Federal Foreign Office points out that this number does not necessarily reflect the number of people actually willing to leave. Many registered individuals have already left the region on their own initiative or intend to remain despite the crisis. In this context, Foreign Minister Wadephul urgently appealed to all returnees to update their entries on the list and deregister themselves, in order to enable the authorities to accurately plan the remaining capacity.
Additional reports from diplomatic circles confirm that the German Armed Forces could provide further logistical support if needed, should the security situation at the border crossings deteriorate. The deployment of the private airline Sundair underscores the German government's strategy of utilizing civilian charter capacity to maintain the operational readiness of military transport for unforeseen emergencies. The costs for the evacuation flights will be shared proportionally by the passengers in accordance with the Consular Act, with the safety of citizens remaining the top priority.