" The situation is deteriorating, uncertainty and fear reign everywhere because no one knows what will happen . The fear is for what could happen even just an hour from now." Annalisa Melis, sister of Giovanni , the Sardinian stranded aboard the MSC Euribia in the port of Dubai , speaks breathlessly. Tension is extremely high , there are too many unknowns. For this reason, the woman has decided to write to the President of the Region, Alessandra Todde , asking for concrete support for the Sardinians far from home and effectively "held hostage" on the ship.

There are currently 563 Italian cruise passengers on board , seven of them Sardinians. "I can only contact my brother through messages and WhatsApp calls. They live in a state of profound uncertainty because, even though they're on the ship, they see everything that's happening," Melis says. " They have the coast of Iran ahead of them, they hear the noises, they follow the flight of the first airliners leaving the Emirates. But they don't know when their turn will be . They have no answers, they don't know where to turn."

This morning, a delegation met with the captain to obtain information on their possible return. They are now awaiting information regarding seat availability on flights departing primarily from Abu Dhabi, about an hour and a half from Dubai. But the wait is exhausting . Some have sought the help of a psychologist, others are unable to eat.

In the letter addressed to President Todde, Melis highlighted four key points : the request to facilitate accurate monitoring of the conditions of the Sardinian citizens involved and ensure timely communication with their families; the invitation to communicate with national authorities to expedite repatriation operations; the activation of every form of logistical and psychological support for those still on board; and finally, the need to raise awareness among national and international representatives to provide constant and transparent updates on the repatriation schedule.