218 S’poreans arrive home on 1st RSAF evacuation flight from Riyadh, largest repatriation so far

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

This marks the largest group of Singaporeans repatriated from the Middle East so far.

The passengers were flown home aboard an RSAF A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft deployed to Riyadh to assist Singaporeans stranded in the region, where commercial travel options have become limited amid the ongoing conflict.

Emotional reunions and relief

For many passengers, the moment they stepped into the arrival hall was one of relief and gratitude.

One Singaporean, who works as an HR consultant and had travelled from Doha, described the journey as one that was filled with uncertainty.

“The journey has been crazy,” he said.

“But I’ve been nothing but grateful to the embassy in Doha and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for helping us Singaporeans, and finally we’ve arrived here safely.”

He had taken a long overland journey from Doha to Riyadh, crossing the Saudi border before boarding the RSAF aircraft back to Singapore.

“For many of us Singaporeans, this is abnormal,” he added.

Despite the ordeal, he said he was thankful to be home in time to spend the final days of Ramadan and celebrate Hari Raya with family.

"Majulah Singapura"

Among the passengers was a Singaporean family who had travelled from Qatar with their elderly mother.

The decision to leave had not been easy.

“We actually didn’t want to leave. We felt Doha was safe,” said Samantha Herman, 44, a corporate strategist who has lived in Qatar for over 20 years.

Frequent emergency alerts in the early hours of the morning, however, had unsettled their elderly mother.

“She would wake up and panic because she couldn’t remember what was going on,” she said.

When the repatriation flight became available, the family decided to leave together.

Waiting at Changi Airport for them was a small family celebration.

Samantha’s eight-year-old son, Arman Nurakhmetov, was surprised with a belated birthday celebration at the arrival hall, complete with balloons and a cake prepared by relatives.

Their journey involved a 12-hour bus ride from Doha to Riyadh, arranged with the assistance of Singapore’s embassy.

Singapore officials accompanied the passengers along the journey, with embassy staff assisting them through border checkpoints before handing them over to the Singapore team waiting in Saudi Arabia.

When asked how was was the experience on her flight back home, she candidly recalled how exuberant it was.

“We were like, ‘Majulah Singapura!’,” she said, pumping her fist in the air to emphasise each word.

“There were Singaporeans from Bahrain, from Saudi, from Qatar […] Everyone was just very happy to know we were going home.”

Still, many remained cautious during the journey.

“We didn’t want to celebrate too soon,” she said.

“We just wanted the plane to get out of the airspace first.”

Kind of a flex

Another passenger described the evacuation as both surreal and reassuring, particularly after days of uncertainty while trying to find commercial flights out of the region.

He said their family had initially attempted to leave through other airports, but repeated flight cancellations and airspace closures made it impossible.

“We tried to get flights out for about a week,” he said, adding that they had eventually decided to wait for guidance from Singapore authorities.

When news of the repatriation flight emerged, the family quickly registered for a seat.

Once they boarded the RSAF aircraft, however, the journey proved smooth.

“It’s kind of a flex to fly on an RSAF plane,” he said, noting that other travellers at the airport had been curious about the non-commercial aircraft.

He described the plane as one that looks similar to a commercial flight.

He also noted that passengers were well cared for by Singapore officials and military personnel, who provided food, drinks, and assistance throughout the journey.

The most memorable moment came when the aircraft touched down in Singapore.

“As soon as we landed, everyone started clapping,” the passenger recalled, smiling widely.

His mother, who had travelled on the same flight with her sons, said the experience had left them feeling proud.

“The flight was fantastic,” she said.

“Well done Singapore, so proud to be a Singaporean and happy to be back home.”

Government assurance for Singaporeans overseas

Speaking to reporters at Changi Airport, Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad said the Government wanted to assure Singaporeans that help would be available if they found themselves stranded overseas.

He noted that Singapore had mounted several repatriation flights so far, including two earlier flights from Muscat, Oman.

Zaqy also thanked the various agencies involved in organising the evacuation, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), RSAF and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

He added that RSAF personnel had shown courage in carrying out the mission.

“When they are called upon, they step forward without hesitation. This is our duty — to bring Singaporeans home safely.”

Further assisted departures

In a separate statement, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the RSAF aircraft had been deployed because some locations in the region were not accessible through commercial flights.

“We have arranged several commercial flights to help Singaporeans who wish to return home from the Middle East.

“But some locations are not accessible through commercial flights. That is why we deployed an RSAF A330 MRTT aircraft to Riyadh to bring Singaporeans home safely.”

The Government plans to continue assisting Singaporeans in the region.

A second RSAF MRTT flight to Saudi Arabia is scheduled for Mar. 12 to support further assisted departures from the Middle East.

Prime Minister Wong also urged Singaporeans who remain in the region to stay vigilant and ensure they are e-registered with MFA, so authorities can reach them quickly if needed.

All photos by Mothership