KATHMANDU, March 2: The Nepali national killed in an Iranian strike in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been identified as 29-year-old Sandesh Shrestha of Gorkha.
Shrestha, who was employed as a security guard, lost his life in a drone-related incident at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, the Embassy of Nepal in Abu Dhabi confirmed on Monday.
According to the embassy, Shrestha was working for a Middle East Company in the UAE. Citing official information received from the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassy stated that he died while attempting to neutralise a drone at the airport.
President Bhandari at Abu Dhabi
In a statement issued on Monday, the Embassy of Nepal in Abu Dhabi expressed profound sorrow over his untimely demise and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
The embassy said it stands ready to facilitate all necessary procedures, including the earliest possible repatriation of Shrestha’s mortal remains to Nepal once the situation normalises.
Two other people killed in the incident were Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals. The incident has once again underscored the risks faced by Nepali migrant workers employed in sensitive and high-risk sectors abroad. While millions of Nepalis contribute to foreign economies—particularly in the Gulf region—many remain exposed to occupational hazards, especially in security, construction and industrial roles.
Given the sensitive circumstances, the embassy has urged all Nepali nationals residing in the UAE to exercise caution and remain vigilant. It has called on them to stay in safe locations and strictly comply with all security directives issued by the UAE government.
The UAE hosts a large Nepali community, many of whom are engaged in security and service-sector jobs. As investigations and security assessments continue, Shrestha’s death has cast a pall of grief over his family in Gorkha and the wider Nepali diaspora in the Gulf.
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