The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the first evacuation flight from Muscat, Oman, originally scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed to Friday at 3 PM local time. The delay is attributed to congestion at Muscat airport and in the surrounding airspace, which has made it challenging to operate the flight as planned.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna expressed hope on Thursday that a subsequent evacuation flight could take place on Friday, indicating that this would be the first official rescue flight following the initial postponement. The ministry plans to operate one flight daily and will announce future flights once they are confirmed. This systematic approach is aimed at efficiently managing the evacuation process amidst ongoing disruptions.

The special flight to be dispatched from Muscat is essential as the airspace over Dubai and Abu Dhabi remains closed, complicating travel logistics for those needing to return to Estonia. The government is committed to keeping the public informed through official channels and the Travel Smart platform to ensure those registered for evacuation are updated promptly.