James Jacinto, a resident of Macau, got stranded in Doha, Qatar, after aerial attacks linked to the escalation of conflict in the Middle East led to the closure of airspace and the cancellation of his flight to Lisbon. The crisis intensified following offensives by Israel and the United States against Iran and subsequent Iranian retaliations against neighboring countries with American military presence.
Jacinto received several security alerts on his mobile phone and reported hearing explosions and seeing missile interceptions near the hotel where he is staying, although he remains in a location considered safe, according to TDM. The resident, who currently lives in Portugal, said he was unable to contact Portuguese authorities in the country and does not know when he will be able to leave.
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The telecommunications company CTM indicated that more than a hundred Macau SIM cards remain with roaming active in several countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Oman, as well as Qatar.
The Macao Government Tourism Office stated that they have not received any requests for assistance so far, although they raised the travel alerts for Iran to the maximum level, similarly to what was already happening with Israel. The Chinese Embassy is also supporting the withdrawal of passport holders from Macau and Hong Kong from Israel to Egypt.
The impact is felt in the tourism sector. The president of the Macau Tourism Industry Association, Andy Wu, said that group tourist flights traveling via the Middle East have been canceled, affecting itineraries between Europe and Macau, including passengers who would pass through Dubai.
