Around 700 people from Daghestan have been stranded in Saudi Arabia after going on a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. As the vast majority of the Middle East’s airspace is closed off due to ongoing fighting between Iran, Israel, and the US, Russia appears to be preparing to return the pilgrims via lorries through Iran.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq were among the countries to have closed off their airspaces after the fighting erupted over the weekend. Hundreds of flights have since been cancelled.
According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), tens of thousands of Russian citizens — both tourists and pilgrims — have been unable to return home because of the airspace closures. Flights continue to be cancelled, particularly on routes to and from the UAE, while Russian and foreign airlines are adjusting schedules and offering passengers refunds or the option to reschedule their trips.
As of Sunday, more than 60 flights had been cancelled, the majority of them on routes to and from the UAE.
Among those affected are Muslims from Daghestan who travelled to perform Umrah, the minor pilgrimage during the month of Ramadan. Flights from Jeddah to Makhachkala were cancelled, and pilgrims who had expected to depart were turned away from the airport to Mecca and placed in hotels. According to tour operators, a total of 700 pilgrims from Daghestan remain in Saudi Arabia as of publication.
The general director of Marva-Tour, Shamil Magomedov, contacted the deputy head of Russia’s Hajj Mission, Mikhail Rassadin, to resolve the issue of the pilgrims’ departure from Saudi Arabia, the tour organiser said on its Telegram channel.
‘It has been confirmed that [on Sunday], a flight operated by Azimuth Airlines on the route Makhachkala–Jeddah will depart. The flight had been on the verge of cancellation. Accordingly, pilgrims currently in Saudi Arabia who previously used this airline’s services will be returned home’.
Pilgrims who were due to depart on Sunday on a flight operated by Jazeera Airways are still waiting for the return flight to be rescheduled. Russia’s Hajj Mission is undertaking extensive work to coordinate and address the situation, ensuring support and safety for the pilgrims.
‘Marva-Tour is doing everything possible to ensure that all pilgrims remain safe and are returned home unharmed. We are in constant contact with all relevant authorities and responsible officials, including the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Jeddah’, Marva-Tour’s Magomedov said.
The statement refers to pilgrims who departed on 15 February to perform Umrah.
On Monday morning, Marva-Tour reported that the flight from Makhachkala had indeed departed.
‘In order to ensure the safety of the pilgrims, the flight route was adjusted in advance. All logistical decisions were made taking into account the current international situation. The aircraft avoided the airspace of Iran, the UAE, and several other Middle Eastern countries’, the company said.
Pilgrimage to the holy sites is an important religious obligation for believers, with many Muslims choosing to perform Umrah during Ramadan.
As of Sunday, flights operated by Pobeda from Makhachkala to Dubai had been cancelled. At the same time, according to the online departures board, a flight operated by UTair from Grozny to Dubai was carried out as scheduled.
Amid the transport disruption, the Ministry for National Policy and Religious Affairs of Daghestan has issued an official statement saying that the republic’s authorities were seeking ‘non-standard ways’ to bring their compatriots home. The ministry stated that ‘the necessary work has been organised by Daghestan’s representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran together with drivers of heavy goods vehicles from Dagestan’. The plan envisages returning pilgrims to Russia overland — by lorry through Iranian territory.
