164 tourists from Maharashtra stranded in West Asia return home: Shiv Sena

Mumbai: A total of 164 tourists from Maharashtra stranded in the United Arab Emirates due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict have returned home in two flights arranged by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a Shiv Sena functionary said on Wednesday.

Two aircraft carrying 76 and 88 tourists landed here Tuesday night. These included 84 students from the Pune-based Indira School of Business Studies and residents from Thane, Ahilyanagar and Pune, he said.

The special fights were arranged by Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, the party leader said.

In a statement on Tuesday, Shinde's office had said that two flights carrying stranded Maharashtra residents would take off for Mumbai from the UAE's Fujairah Airport at 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm.

"The Shiv Sena was successful in bringing back many residents from Maharashtra who were stranded in Dubai," Shinde said in a post on X, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their leadership.

He further said it gave satisfaction to give relief to the residents who were under tremendous pressure.