Matthew McGinn, 42, was standing just six feet from his window at the Fairmont Palm in Dubai when a huge blast ripped through the luxury beachfront resort as missiles were intercepted overhead
A British couple on their honeymoon in Dubai were left petrified when a missile strike targeted their beachfront hotel, causing flames to soar into the sky and debris to scatter onto their balcony.
Matthew McGinn, 42, was merely six feet away from his window at the Fairmont Palm when a massive explosion tore through the luxury resort on Saturday, triggering chaos among guests as missiles were intercepted overhead.
The assault occurred amidst rising tensions in the Middle East, with Iran initiating missile and drone strikes across the Gulf in response to Western military action – leading to airspace shutdowns and grounding thousands of flights.
Video footage captured from the couple’s hotel room displays flames erupting outside the beachfront hotel moments after the blast as stunned guests scramble for safety.
Additional clips reveal charred damage near the impact site and dense black smoke billowing into the night sky. Four individuals were injured in the incident at the hotel, according to local authorities.
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Matthew, from Liverpool, Merseyside, arrived in the UAE with wife Layla Hamood, 41, and their three-year-old son Jenson just a day prior for their much-anticipated honeymoon. He said: “It was our first full day – we went to the pool and to the beach, it was amazing.”
However, disaster struck just minutes after they returned to the hotel to prepare for dinner. Matthew recounted: “I heard a massive bang and saw a huge flash with flames coming right up. I ran to Layla and said the hotel’s been struck, we need to go.”
The explosion occurred about 75 feet from their sixth-floor room, which was directly facing the impact. Shrapnel and shattered glass landed on their balcony. As air defence systems roared into action overhead, Matthew stated they had just seconds to decide whether to evacuate or remain.
He explained: “We didn’t know what to do – whether it was best to stay in the hotel or go outside. We decided to go outside in case another strike hit the building.
“Missiles were flying overhead and being intercepted. We had to keep moving, because if we stayed still we were like sitting ducks. There was that much fear and that much panic, we were just going off instinct, really.”
Matthew mentioned terrified tourists on the beach below were phoning their loved ones back home. The family later rushed inside to pack a grab bag with passports, money and chargers in case they had to flee again.
Matthew recalled: “Not long after we came back in – at around midnight now – there was this almighty bang. It was so loud, we thought the hotel had been struck again. It was more missiles being intercepted.
“We both jumped up and went into the corridor – but we thought it would be best to stay inside. We didn’t get any sleep at all. In the morning, there were more interceptions – bang, bang, bang. It was like, here we go again.”
At about 3am this morning, Matthew reported drones and missiles could be heard roaring overhead once more. The couple, who wed last June, had only just arranged the holiday owing to work obligations.
Dubai’s beaches have been shut and the family say they are continuously watching the skies. Matthew said: “We’ve just been down to the pool today and we were looking at the sky thinking – can we see anything coming?”.
Airports in Dubai have sustained damage in the attacks, with personnel wounded and thousands of flights cancelled. Airspace restrictions across the region have left holidaymakers stuck – including the McGinns, who were scheduled to fly home on Friday.
Matthew said: “We just want to get back to the UK, but we don’t know what’s happening yet because the airspace is still closed. Dubai itself is an incredible place and we’re very fortunate that they have such a good defence system in place.
“They’re catching everything that’s coming over and we’re very grateful for that. But because you don’t see anything like this in the UK, it is terrifying to be around.”
