Fourteen Cypriot sixth-form students, two teachers and two Greek chaperones found themselves trapped in northern Tanzania on 2 November 2025 when a sudden wave of nationwide protests turned violent and authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew, cut internet access and closed the country’s airports. The group had spent a week in Kilya village on a service-learning project and were due to fly home via Dubai, but all outbound flights were cancelled without notice. Parents contacted the Presidential Palace in Nicosia after receiving distressed voice messages in which one student said the team had food for only two more days.
Cyprus’ Crisis Management Centre immediately activated its Rapid Response Mechanism. Working with the High Commission in Nairobi—which also covers Tanzania—and EU counterparts on the ground, officials mapped alternative exit routes through neighbouring Kenya and Rwanda. A military evacuation flight remains a contingency option, but officials hope to place the group on the first commercial services once Julius Nyerere International Airport re-opens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that there is **no direct security threat to the Cypriots**, but warned that the volatile situation could escalate.
![Cypriot volunteers stranded in Tanzania as political unrest shuts airports]()
The incident came just 48 hours after the MFA issued an updated travel advisory urging Cypriot nationals to “exercise a high degree of caution” in Tanzania and to register on the Connect2CY platform. Crisis managers say the case underscores the importance for schools and employers to file travel itineraries, purchase comprehensive evacuation insurance and monitor advisories in real time.
For global-mobility managers, the episode is a reminder that seemingly routine educational or CSR trips can quickly become complex extraction operations. Companies with expatriate staff in East Africa are advised to review their escalation protocols, confirm the availability of charter aircraft in Nairobi and Entebbe, and ensure that travellers carry backup satellite communications devices. The MFA’s 24-hour hotlines (+357 22 651113 and +357 22 801000) remain open for any Cypriot citizen requiring assistance abroad.
Cyprus’ Crisis Management Centre immediately activated its Rapid Response Mechanism. Working with the High Commission in Nairobi—which also covers Tanzania—and EU counterparts on the ground, officials mapped alternative exit routes through neighbouring Kenya and Rwanda. A military evacuation flight remains a contingency option, but officials hope to place the group on the first commercial services once Julius Nyerere International Airport re-opens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that there is **no direct security threat to the Cypriots**, but warned that the volatile situation could escalate.
The incident came just 48 hours after the MFA issued an updated travel advisory urging Cypriot nationals to “exercise a high degree of caution” in Tanzania and to register on the Connect2CY platform. Crisis managers say the case underscores the importance for schools and employers to file travel itineraries, purchase comprehensive evacuation insurance and monitor advisories in real time.
For global-mobility managers, the episode is a reminder that seemingly routine educational or CSR trips can quickly become complex extraction operations. Companies with expatriate staff in East Africa are advised to review their escalation protocols, confirm the availability of charter aircraft in Nairobi and Entebbe, and ensure that travellers carry backup satellite communications devices. The MFA’s 24-hour hotlines (+357 22 651113 and +357 22 801000) remain open for any Cypriot citizen requiring assistance abroad.
