CINCINNATI — Travel chaos continues into its second weekend for some American travelers attempting to leave the Middle East after their vacations.
Eight Cincinnati residents are among those stranded in Dubai after the war in Iran grounded flights across the Gulf region.
"Being that we have kids as young as three to as old as 18, there are different levels of understanding of the situation, but all they know is that mommy and daddy are not home," said Bri'Ana Heard.
Bri'Ana Heard, Clifford Heard and Ruquiayah Lawson are among a group of parents who arrived in Dubai last Tuesday for a couples getaway. They were scheduled to return on Monday, but said their flight had been canceled six times.
"On Saturday, we were hanging out. We got a text message, and Cliff and I were separated from the other couples at the time, and we got a text saying that our flight was canceled," Bri'Ana Heard said.
That same day, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes and missile attacks against Iran.
"There was smoke coming from the building, and as we were looking at it, we saw two missiles in the sky," Lawson said.
WATCH: Iran war strands Cincinnati families in Dubai for second weekend as flights remain canceled
The group is not alone. Videos circulating on social media show other Americans stranded in the region pleading for help.
According to the Associated Press, some travelers are paying up to $232,000 for charter flights out of the region, while others are driving hours overland to Oman or Saudi Arabia to reach a working airport.
"Oddly enough, most of the things here are still open, people are kind of going about their daily lives like they normally would," Clifford Heard said. "There's a small sense of uncertainty and uneasiness, but the stores and most restaurants are open."
Bri'Ana Heard's mom, Tonya Geans, reached out to us in hopes of finding a solution to resources to bring her family home.
We asked the group whether they had completed the crisis intake form that the U.S. Department of State is requesting all American citizens abroad fill out to receive information about upcoming charter flights and ground transportation options.
"A lot of our family members are connected to the military, and three of us are veterans. So that was our initial instinct. Reach out to the embassy," Bri'Ana Heard said. "But we have not been able to access any of their resources."
According to the U.S. Department of State, nearly 20,000 American citizens have safely returned to the United States since Feb. 28. The department has also activated a 24/7 task force to assist Americans abroad.
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These figures do not include the many Americans who have safely relocated to other countries or those who have departed the Middle East but are still in transit back to the United States.
At the direction of Secretary Rubio, Department of State charter flight and ground transportation operations are underway and will continue to ramp up with additional flights and ground transports taking place today.
The Department has established a Crisis Intake Form [links-2.govdelivery.com] for American citizens in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.
By completing this form, American citizens in those countries will directly receive information about upcoming charter aviation and ground transportation options.
Through the State Department’s 24/7 Task Force, we have assisted over 10,000 Americans abroad, including offering security guidance and travel assistance.
The State Department will continue to actively assist any American citizen abroad, who wishes to depart the Middle East, to do so.
Americans in the Middle East who need assistance can call the U.S. Department of State, 24/7, at +1-202-501-4444.
The group said they are grateful for the support of family and friends, and they created a GoFundMe to support them until returning home. Bri'Ana Heard says her faith is keeping her grounded.
"This isn't about you, but God is using you for something that's bigger, so I'll be going to share that with my babies and with everybody who I can. It's bigger than you," Bri'Ana Heard said
