SIA crew recount emotional mission to bring Singaporeans home from Middle East conflict

After landing and finally getting some rest, Ms Gan came across social media posts showing passengers reuniting with loved ones at Changi Airport. It was then that the significance of the mission fully sank in.

“I think, for our flight … it is really home for them, because the 152 (passengers) were all Singaporeans,” she said.

Dozens of SIA staff and crew, including Ms Gan, were involved in operating SQ8001, the first of two repatriation flights launched by the national carrier and organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that evacuated Singaporeans and some foreigners from the conflict zone.

At the helm of the flight was chief pilot Leonard Wee. The veteran pilot, with more than 20 years of experience, said that when he put out a call for volunteers, the response was overwhelming.

“We understand the importance of bringing our fellow Singaporeans home. We understand how they feel. We could empathise, because they have been in that region for some time, and I think we found that there was purpose in what we needed to do,” said Captain Wee.

While assembling the flight’s crew was straightforward, seeking his 13-year-old daughter’s blessing proved more difficult.

“She was somewhat emotional, she was somewhat concerned, but I reassured her that we’ve done all the preparation,” said Capt Wee.

“I shared with her that whatever you’re feeling, there’s someone else, some other family, some other person’s daughter in Singapore, feeling exactly like you, and I am in the fortunate position to try to help that person – so we are going to do this,” he added.