Aussie Olympic champion Stephanie Rice has flown back to the Middle East to be with her husband Mark – with her flight leaving Australia at about the same time two Iranian drones struck an area close to Dubai Airport.
Rice, who has been living in the United Arab Emirates since November 2023, has been been in Australia since the outbreak of the conflict between the USA, Israel and Iran, while her husband Mark Lassey has been in Dubai.
The three-time gold medallist revealed she was jetting out to be with him again in two Instagram stories posted on Wednesday night.
She had previously taken to Instagram to reveal how much she was missing her husband and ask her followers to pray ‘for all my friends, loved ones and people in the UAE’.
‘A week delayed, but it’s time to go home. Thank you for your prayers,’ she captioned a selfie she posted from her flight at 10.20pm AEST.
Rice then posted another story featuring a clip of her going through the departures gate at Melbourne Airport.
Olympic champion Stephanie Rice (pictured) has announced she is going home to Dubai to be with her husband Mark Lassey amid the war in the Middle East
Rice posted back-to-back Instagram stories late on Wednesday night, with the second showing her going through the departures gate at Melbourne Airport (pictured)
Iranian drones launched an attack on an area close to Dubai Airport (pictured) on Wednesday night, Australian time
The Olympian’s posts were published at almost the same time as the Daily Mail reported that four people were injured in an Iranian drone attack near Dubai International Airport.
Dutch airline KLM has now cancelled all flights to Dubai until March 28.
It is not known whether Rice intended to fly to Dubai or land at a different airport in the region.
The war in the Middle East has affected global energy routes and travel, as Iran, Israel and the US continue to hit targets across the Gulf region.
It comes as Iran attacked several commercial ships on Wednesday across the Persian Gulf and targeted Dubai International Airport.
On Thursday morning, Australian time, a high-rise building in Dubai caught fire after it was struck by an Iranian drone.
The strike occurred near Dubai Creek Harbour, which is located around five miles from the airport.
Earlier, a projectile hit a Thai cargo ship off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, setting it ablaze.
Rice (pictured with husband Mark Lassey) has been away from the love of her life since the war in the Middle East broke out
The pair (pictured in Rome) have made Dubai their home, with Rice first moving there in November 2023
Rice revealed her sadness at being forced apart from Lassey in this Instagram post
Authorities are searching for three missing crew members from the Mayuree Naree after 20 were rescued by the Omani navy, according to Thailand’s Marine Department.
Iran has effectively stopped cargo traffic in the narrow strait through which about a fifth of all oil is shipped.
It has also targeted oil fields and refineries in Gulf Arab nations, aiming at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end their strikes.
Rice met Lassey soon after relocating to the city of four million.
He popped the question at Dubai’s Atlantis Royal Hotel in September 2024 after a whirlwind seven-month romance.
Rice, who is a devout Christian, joined the city’s Kingdom City church and opened up about her newfound dedication to religion after moving across the world.
‘I honestly never thought I would be this person turning up on prayer nights, on my own, in a new country, connecting with a community through a church,’ she wrote.
‘But here I am and gosh it is so special and has helped me feel so supported in this new home in Dubai.’
