World | India
UAE consulate rescues terrified Emirati family
Consul-General says all 200 nationals in Mumbai are safe and efforts are on to help them return home.
- By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter, and Anjana Sankar, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:24 November 28, 2008
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Dubai/Mumbai: An Emirati family which was staying in a hotel next to Nariman House, where terrorists held at least five people hostage, was transported to safety by the UAE mission in Mumbai.
The family, comprising a mother and four children, made frantic phone calls to Mohammad Al Mazroui, Vice-Counsel at the UAE consulate.
"The family was staying at the Antique Hotel near Nariman House. They were here for medical treatment. They were traumatised and scared after hearing gun shots," Al Mazroui told Gulf News.
Al Mazroui ensured that the family was moved to a Cuffe Parade hotel. "They are safe and the mission is in constant touch with them," he said.
Rashid Al Owais, another Emirati, was able to leave the Oberoi-Trident hotel on Friday. He sounded exhausted when Gulf News called him. "I can't talk now. I am not keeping well. I want to rest," he said. Humood Rashid Abu Afraa, UAE Consul-General in Mumbai told Gulf News that all 200 UAE nationals are safe.
"We are booking flights for those who wish to leave. About 40 returned home on Thursday and some on Friday," he said.
Meanwhile, Dubai-returned sweet shop owner Eeshwar Moorthy served free tea and snacks to weary military personnel and the media, as most of the shops around Nariman House shut down. "My sweet shop was closed since Wednesday, but that did not stop me from helping out people," he said.
Eeshwar had an export business in Deira until five years ago.
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