S’porean pilot, 31, recounts projectile encounter while bringing fellow citizens home from Middle East

On Mar. 11, a Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) evacuation flight carrying 218 Singaporeans and their dependants from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia touched down at Changi Airport at 6:02am.

Two days later, the second repatriation flight deployed to evacuate Singaporeans stranded in the Middle East, arrived in Singapore from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at 5:59am.

In total, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) successfully completed repatriation operations of 299 Singaporeans and their dependants from the Middle East across the two flights.

The photos and videos that followed said everything: loved ones embracing at the airport, tears flowing freely, relief written plainly on every face.

But none of this would have been possible without the crew who made the journey first.

"To the Singaporeans onboard, a warm welcome home."

31-year-old Captain Gerald Goh was first informed of the mission in the afternoon of Mar. 6.

Days of careful planning followed over the weekend, and on Mar. 9, the final internal brief was done.

By Mar. 10, the crew was ready to depart.

"I was focused on the mission at hand," he said, recalling the moments before the RSAF A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft took off. "On how to best execute what we were expecting and what we had planned for."

For the crew, flying near an active conflict zone posed real and specific risks.

GPS jamming was one, and the other was the possibility of airborne projectiles and missiles.

On the return leg from Riyadh, Goh noticed a projectile as the plane flew through the night.

"My initial reaction was a sense of shock," he said.

However, he kept his composure.

Together with the crew, he assessed the distance of the projectile, checked onboard systems, reviewed the flight path and briefed the mission commander.

The team eventually decided it was safe to press on.

Goh was also the one responsible for delivering an announcement to passengers as the aircraft approached Singapore, welcoming them home on behalf of the RSAF.

"A very good morning, ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain speaking.

On the behalf of the Republic of Singapore Airforce, it has been an honour to bring you back to your families and familiar surroundings.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation throughout the flight, and our crew will be available to assist you as we prepare to arrive at the gate.

We wish you a smooth and pleasant continuation as you reconnect with your loved ones.

To the Singaporeans onboard, a warm welcome home."

It was only after the mission — reading news coverage and watching the videos — that the full impact of what they had done sank in.

"It really hit me that the entire team played their part in ensuring mission success," he said. "Everyone displayed professionalism and gave their all."

"Retrospectively, when I look back, there was a wow factor."

His family, too, had followed the developments from home. Their response when he landed was simple with a hint of pride: "Good job."

"They saw what we did, and they were very happy that we managed to carry out such a fulfilling mission," he added.

First repatriation mission involving direct interaction with evacuees

For 26-year-old Pang Jingwen, the operation marked a different kind of deployment.

An air-refuelling operator (ARO), Pang is typically responsible for topping up fighter jets mid-air.

While he had previously undergone training as cabin crew, his experience had largely focused on emergency scenarios such as fires and evacuations.

When volunteers were called to support the evacuation, Pang stepped forward and was assigned as cabin crew.

"A sense of bringing back Singaporeans is really a noble cause and a noble mission," he said. "A lot of us really stepped up and made this mission successful."

Ahead of departure, Pang described a sense of "uncertainty", especially given the fluid situation in the Middle East.

"I definitely felt a bit nervous, but at the same time, I was excited and ready to carry out this mission," he said.

While he had previously been deployed to Jordan in 2023 for humanitarian relief operations, this was his first repatriation mission involving direct interaction with evacuees.

"First time seeing the passengers as they were boarding the plane — it felt like, this is real," he said. "Bringing back Singaporeans, this is a real mission that is truly meaningful for the RSAF."

He noted that some of the passengers appeared uneasy at first, but were later reassured by the crew.

The rest of the journey proceeded smoothly, with passengers remaining cooperative and appreciative.

One moment stood out to him.

After being shown to her seat, a Singaporean passenger handed Pang a box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, asking him to share it with the crew as an extension of her gratitude.

"Actions like this really make the whole mission worthwhile," he said.

The crew also made quiet adjustments to accommodate passengers observing Ramadan.

They tracked sunset timings closely and served meals 20 minutes in advance, so Muslim passengers could break their fast punctually.

Upon landing on the first flight, Pang recalled some passengers breaking into the national anthem, followed by applause.

"It felt very real, seeing how thankful they were to be home," he said. "I felt a strong sense of national pride."

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