Coronavirus: Parents overjoyed as stranded expat children return to UAE

Eilidh Ashton and nine-year-old Luca Summers embraced their parents after more than a month apart

Luca Alexander Summers and his mother Lindsey, from Australia, are reunited after almost two months apart. The nine-year-old was staying with relatives in Sydney when flights were suspended on March 19. He thanked officials for 'trying hard to bring me back. I am very happy'. WamShow less

Two children who were separated from their parents due to the suspension of flights in March have been reunited.

Eilidh Ashton and nine-year-old Luca Alexander Summers were among a number of expats who were brought home on special flights in recent days.

Luca, 9, hugged his mother Lindsey after almost two months apart.

The mother and son took a trip to see their family in Sydney in early March and Luca - who was born in Dubai - stayed on with relatives for an extra 10 days.

He was due to fly home but found he had no way back to Dubai when all passenger flights to and from UAE were suspended on March 19. Australia halted international flights days later.

"We are very excited to have our family back together again," his mother, who is Australian and has lived in Dubai since 2000, told state news agency Wam at the airport.

"He was born here, this was his home and he will be ecstatic to back again with our family."

Luca thanked government officials "for trying hard to bring me back. I am very happy,'' he said.

British citizen Ms Ashton, 19, was flown home to Abu Dhabi from London after more than a month away from her mother Christina.

She was also born in the UAE, which she described as her home.

"I think they're doing the best they can, out of all of the countries," she said, thanking the government.

Mother and daughter shared a joke as they went in for a hug, only to remember the need to keep their distance, and tapped their feet together with a laugh instead.

Luca Alexander Summers, 9, and his parents are united after he flew home from Sydney. Luca, whose family has lived in Dubai since 2000, was visiting with relatives in Australia when flights were suspended on March 19. All photos by Wam

Luca thanked officials for 'trying hard to bring me back. I am very happy'

At least 30,000 UAE residents who are abroad have applied for permission to return home. The government is looking to bring them back as the aviation industry slowly opens up again

Luca and his family thanked officials for bringing him home

Eilidh Ashton, 19, was flown home to Abu Dhabi from London

She meets her mother Christina at the airport - and remembers to keep her distance after an international flight

Eilidh was also born in the UAE, which she described as her home. 'I think they're doing the best they can, out of all of the countries,' she said, thanking the government.

Thousands of residents are awaiting permission and flights to resume so they can return. Among them are many teachers, nurses, students and others

Normal scheduled flights are yet to resume and only a small number of stranded expats are thought to have been brought back to UAE so far