Scots who were trapped in Dubai amid attacks from Iranian forces have told how they feared for their lives before they were brought home.
More than 300 people were returned to Scotland from Dubai via the Emirates airline on Wednesday night after witnessing days of destruction abroad, with one woman saying she thought she was a “goner”.
Families broke down in tears of relief as they embraced their loved ones, who touched down at Edinburgh Airport at 8.12pm.
Victoria Cameron, 57, originally from South Africa but now residing in Larkhall, is partially deaf, and was met with a bunch of flowers from her husband, Brian Cameron.
Remembering the initial missile attacks on Saturday, she said: “I thought it was a firework. Then we saw the second one, then the third one and we started screaming and the hotel staff said ‘run, run, run’.
“I was on the phone to my husband, saying ‘we’re under fire’ and they led us away, the phones were going, we were shaking and we were crying.
“I’m from South Africa, and I’m not scared of anything, we’re used to stuff, but I thought I was a goner on Saturday night.”
Mr Cameron, 59, had intended to travel to Dubai by any means necessary after hearing his wife might be in danger.
“I’d come up with all sorts of plans to drive there, just to be with her, I didn’t like her being on her own,” he said.
“The relief is just… I can’t put it into words.”
Jack Crowe, 26, owner of Borders Competitions, remembered hearing the first explosions on Saturday.
He said: “I think when it first hit for me was, we were on The Palm, and our balcony looked inland, and a jet flew over.
“I ran out to film it and was following the jet, and then there was this massive explosion.
“I was like, ‘what the hell was that?'”
Holiday-goers Fiona Shearer, 45, and Lynn Buttercase, 49, described feeling “on edge” during the initial strikes.
Ms Shearer said: “The Saturday was obviously horrendous. We were all really on edge, because you could still hear the explosions in the sky and things.
“We heard the airport explosion, and then these phone alerts went off.”
Ms Buttercase said: “In the basement of our hotel they made bunkers in underground garages, so everyone slept with their clothes on with their grab-bag, passport and had our phones fully charged.”
Ms Shearer continued: “For the rest of the time we were there, it was so quickly brought under control.
“In Dubai, everyone was quite calm over there. We were worried about not being able to get home, but certainly where we were, everybody felt quite calm.”
Kevin MacLean’s family ran up to him for a hug as he left the arrivals terminal.
He was fortunate enough not to be too close to the epicentre of the strikes, but was nonetheless “chuffed to bits” at the sight of his loved ones.
Mr MacLean said: “I wasn’t quite near it. I was speaking to a couple on the flight who were stuck in a basement in a hotel.
“In a way I’m quite lucky because we didn’t have to do that.”
Asked about seeing his family again, he added: “I’m chuffed to bits. You just don’t know how long it’s going to take to actually get back.”
