Airspace closure

Crosetto, Big mama and schoolchildren: anxiety for Italians stranded in Dubai

The Defence Minister had left on Friday on a civilian flight to pick up family members. Patuanelli (M5S) calls for his resignation. Ministry of Education in contact with Farnesina, Embassy and Consulate on students

by Rome Editorial Staff

1 March 2026

5' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Crosetto apex link
Patuanelli (M5S): the minister resigns, it is an institutional matter
Fratelli d'Italia: Crosetto in Dubai and M5S attacks government
Vannacci: save Private Crosetto
Big mama singer: let's hear the missiles overhead
The group of 204 high school students
The Ministry of Education: in close contact with Tajani
Cuneo and Cisterna volleyball teams
Women's national hockey team did not leave Rome

5' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto. The singer Big mama. A group of 204 Italian high school students involved in the 'Ambassadors of the Future' project of the World Student Connection association. But also the men's volleyball teams of Cuneo and Cisterna. These are the most striking cases at the moment of Italians stranded in Dubai after the airspace was closed following the attacks launched by Iran against the Persian Gulf countries in response to the military action initiated by the United States and Israel.

Crosetto at the summit in connection

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto took part in the summit held in the evening of Saturday 28 February at Palazzo Chigi to take stock of the situation in the Middle East. The minister had left Rome on Friday on a civilian flight to pick up family members, but the sudden military escalation left all scheduled flights grounded.

Patuanelli (M5S): the minister resigns, it is an institutional matter

However, the issue immediately became a political case. The M5s went on the attack first on Saturday and then on Sunday with a note by Vice-President Stefano Patuanelli: 'In light of the ongoing attack in Iran and the military escalation that is inflaming the Middle East, we learned yesterday that the Defence Minister of Italy is currently stuck in Dubai due to the closure of airspace. This is an objective fact that is striking and calls for serious reflection. In one of the most delicate phases for international security in recent years, the holder of the Defence Ministry is not physically in the country and cannot return home in a timely manner'. Patuanelli added: 'This is not a personal issue, but an institutional one. It is legitimate to ask what level of preventive information the government has with respect to ongoing military developments, what coordination there is with the allies, and how the full operability of the chain of command is being guaranteed in such a critical phase'. Hence the call for Crosetto to 'resign'.

Fratelli d'Italia: Crosetto in Dubai and M5S attacks government

Already on Saturday, however, Fratelli d'Italia had replied to the first accusations: 'The 5 Star MPs, instead of wishing Crosetto's safe return to Italia, as one should hope for any citizen and compatriot, take the opportunity to attack the government by inventing a sort of international marginality, in perfect Pentastellist style. Chapeau, after all, what could one expect from someone who is accustomed to disrespecting others on a daily basis, even in parliamentary speeches,' said MP Mauro Malaguti.

Vannacci: save Private Crosetto

Roberto Vannacci also intervened in the Crosetto case with a social post: 'Save Private Crosetto. Special operation started to exfiltrate Crosetto: the only Defence Minister who goes on holiday in a war zone without knowing it'.

Big mama singer: let's hear the missiles overhead

Singer Big mama is also stranded in Dubai and her account via social media has gone around the web: 'I left from Malè airport, my flight was diverted to the desert near Dubai. We were then taken to a hotel in Dubai and now they are begging us to stay in the hotel and be as careful as possible. We keep hearing the missiles over our heads, I am terrified, there are so many of us in this situation. Please, eyes on us, maximum attention on us, we are here, there are so many of us and we all want to go home. I just want to go home, please run this video, I never asked for anything. I am only doing this because I am so, so, so scared and I want to go home, thank you very much'.

The group of 204 high school students

A group of 204 Italian high school students involved in the World Student Connection association's 'Ambassadors of the Future' project is stranded in Dubai due to the airspace closure linked to the conflict in Iran. Among them - as reported by the Corriere del Veneto website - are youngsters from Veneto, including a 16-year-old who attends the Calvi commercial technical institute in Padua. 'My son was supposed to land in Milan on 1 March at nine o'clock in the morning,' says his mother, 'and instead we don't know when he will be back. The boys are being looked after by tutors and that reassures us. But we are worried'. According to reports to the families, the students are being accommodated in a hotel while waiting for their return flights to be rescheduled. The Italia group was supposed to return tomorrow, but the departure has been postponed to 3 March. The Wsc programme involves the diplomatic simulation of UN work and brings together teenagers and university students of different nationalities.

The Ministry of Education: in close contact with Tajani

The Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM) has stated that it is in constant contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Embassy of Italia in the United Arab Emirates and the Consulate General of Italia in Dubai, which are constantly monitoring the case. The consular authorities are working with the utmost care to ensure assistance and support'. The Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, is in close contact with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, on developments. 'The ministry will continue to provide updates in the coming hours'.

Also the volleyball teams of Cuneo and Cisterna

The men's volleyball teams of Cuneo and Cisterna are also currently stuck in Dubai. The teams were engaged in the Nas sports tournament. "The air is heavy here but we are all fine," Cuneo's setter Ivan Zaytsev reported on social media.

The women's national hockey team did not leave Rome

Still on the subject of sport, the group of the women's national hockey team was stranded at Fiumicino airport due to the cancellation of their flight. "We were supposed to reach Hyderabad, in India, via Dubai, to participate from 8 to 14 March in the qualifying tournament for the next World Cup to be held from 15 to 30 August in Belgium and Holland,' said assistant coach Gianluca Cirilli. 'At the moment we do not know how and when this will be possible. The group from Rome is made up of about ten people, two of whom are coming from Cagliari, then there are others who were supposed to leave from Amsterdam, Brussels, and some from Spain. All of them were supposed to meet tonight in Dubai and then take the connecting flight to Hyderabad. They too, however, had their flight cancelled. Now there's nothing left to do but wait, some at home, for those from Rome, some in a hotel, offered by Emirates, like the two Cagliari girls, and see what will happen. The ideal would be to reach India in time to get over the time difference before taking to the field. We'll see.