Back Home Safe: Sindhu Misses All England After Dubai Ordeal

Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu returned home safely on Tuesday after being stranded in Dubai due to the closure of airspace in the Gulf region, forcing her to miss the prestigious All England Championships in Birmingham .

Sindhu was travelling to Birmingham via Dubai when flight operations were abruptly suspended following escalating tensions in West Asia. The disruption came after US and Israeli forces carried out bombing strikes on Iran , which subsequently retaliated. The fallout impacted parts of the Gulf, including Dubai, leading to widespread flight cancellations and leaving several passengers, including the Indian shuttler and her team, stranded.

Confirming her safe return, Sindhu took to X and wrote: “Back home in Bangalore and safe. The last few days have been intense and uncertain, but I’m truly grateful to be back in my house.” She described the episode as deeply unsettling and thanked those who assisted her during the crisis.

“A heartfelt thank you to the incredible ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, and every single person who stepped up and took such good care of us during a very difficult time. The empathy and professionalism meant more than words can say,” she posted.

Earlier, on February 28, the former world champion had revealed details of her ordeal, calling it an “extremely tense and scary moment” . She mentioned that an explosion occurred near her place of stay, underscoring the gravity of the situation. “Moments like these remind you how fragile normal life really is,” she had reflected.

Sindhu’s support staff, including Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama , were also affected by the sudden suspension of flights. All members of her team have since returned safely.

With the All England campaign now off her schedule, Sindhu said it is time to “rest, reset, and figure out the next steps” , as she regroups after the unforeseen disruption to her international season.