The Slovak Republic has carried out its most intensive aerial repatriation operation to date. The Air Unit of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic transported over 700 citizens of Slovakia and other countries to safety after they were stranded in the Middle East due to the military conflict. Additional citizens were repatriated by the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, bringing the total number of people assisted to more than 800.
On the evening of Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the government special flight carrying the last group of repatriates from the United Arab Emirates landed at Milan Rastislav Štefánik Airport in Bratislava. The Ministry of Interior’s Airbus and Fokker aircraft completed a total of 10 repatriation flights—4 from Muscat, Oman, 3 from Amman, Jordan, 2 from Dubai, UAE, and 1 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—bringing 711 passengers to Bratislava.
“The aircraft of the Ministry of Interior’s Air Unit were in the air for nine consecutive days; the crews logged 93,500 km and roughly 120 flight hours. In terms of the security situation, operational intensity, and logistics, this was a very demanding operation, the most intensive repatriation action in the history of the independent Slovak Republic,” stated Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok. He noted that this operation exceeded even the scope of repatriations during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the ministry’s air fleet transported 459 people over eight flights from March to July 2020.
Slovakia acted immediately to assist citizens who were trapped in the Middle East, facing danger and unable to return home via commercial flights, which had been canceled due to the military conflict and the immediate threat of attacks. “This is a clear sign that we will not leave Slovak citizens at the mercy of a situation that is extremely tense today, and that we will always ensure their protection,” said the minister. The ministry’s air fleet remains ready to respond to any further repatriation requests.
Minister Šutaj Eštok expressed gratitude to the Air Unit and all participants in the repatriation flights—including the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, which coordinated the repatriations, the Ministry of Defense, foreign partners, and the Slovak Samaritan Association, which provided medical and psychological support on board.
All flights into the conflict zone in the Middle East were extremely challenging to plan, coordinate, and execute due to frequent airspace closures—both expected and unexpected—and airport restrictions resulting from potential ongoing attacks. “Thanks go to the flight crews for their professionalism, responsibility, and courage during flights into the conflict zone, to the technical staff for ensuring the aircraft were always ready and fully operational, and to everyone who planned, coordinated, and supported these flights from the ground. Their work often remains invisible to the public, but without it, such an operation would not have been possible,” said the Interior Minister.
This repatriation operation also demonstrated that the Ministry of Interior’s Air Unit is an effective tool for assisting citizens in crisis situations. The large number of people requiring urgent help confirmed the need for acquiring a high-capacity repatriation aircraft, as planned in the Long-Term Development Plan of the Ministry’s Air Unit.
Through the crisis management section of the Ministry of Interior, Slovakia requested activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and offered assistance for repatriating citizens of other countries. Part of the flight costs, where seats were allocated to citizens of other countries, will be covered by EU funds. Conversely, Slovak citizens also received assistance on flights organized by other EU member states. This serves as an example of effective European solidarity in practice, where member states coordinate and share capacities during crises to ensure rapid and efficient help.
Source: TASR
