Flight evacuating Brits from Middle East can't take off in bizarre circumstances

A flight carrying British nationals was set to leave Oman and head back to the UK on Wednesday evening (4 March), but after several delays, it could not depart.

The plane was chartered by the Foreign Office for Brits looking to leave Muscat, amidst the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

But after several delays, Sky News reported that passengers became 'very agitated' as some even suffered 'panic attacks' when it failed to take off, according to passenger accounts.

Eventually, the flight was grounded due to the fact the pilot had exceeded his hours and 'needed to rest', those onboard claimed.

One person said the evacuation of the flight was a 'total shambles', as it is now due to take off later today instead.

It was scheduled to depart Muscat at 11pm local time on Wednesday, with it meant to be the first repatriation effort by the UK Foreign Office since the Middle East conflict began.

The US and Israel have fired missiles at Iran, killing the Ayatollah and other senior figures (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

While other European nations such as Austria and Spain successfully evacuated its citizens from the region yesterday, the UK was forced to delay their efforts.

Speaking to Sky News, one passenger said: "The check-in process took about four hours due to technical issues. We then got taken to the plane on a bus but had to stay on it for about one-and-a-half hours," adding that it was a 'total s***show'.

They claimed: "No consular staff were present airside. They just left us. People started getting very agitated, banging windows, panic attacks.

"There are dozens and dozens of vulnerable people, young children and families."

"We had no way of contacting consular staff to find out what was wrong," they explained, adding that they were taken back to the terminal without any guidance.

The anonymous passenger explained: "We were told due to slow check-in and delays the pilot had clocked his hours so needed to rest.

"They then disembarked us, and we were taken to a hotel."

Instead, the plane is scheduled to take off later today, after passengers were made to stay on a plane for one-and-a-half hours with no movement.

British Airways has been operating flights in the region (Brook Mitchell / AFP via Getty Images)

British Airways is among the airlines which has been operating commercial flights to the UK from the region, including Muscat, while the likes of Emirates are also operating repatriation flights.

A BA flight took off from Muscat last night, with it due to touch down in Heathrow this morning.

The Omani capital has become a key location for those looking to leave the Middle East, as it can be reached by road from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi within a matter of hours.

Matters in the Middle East have escalated over the past week or so, after Donald Trump announced that 'major combat operations' were underway.