Two Connecticut college students who were stranded in the United Arab Emirates landed in New York on Thursday on the first direct commercial flight to the U.S. since the war in Iran started.

They say the U.S. government could have done more to help them return home.

“We reached out to a lot of Senate and representative offices, and it seemed they were organizationally just without a plan,” said Ryan Rivera Cabrera.

They say they had to shelter in an underground parking garage.

“They had a makeshift bomb shelter where we would just go into this underground parking garage,” said Evan Rhaul. “There’s not anybody doing enough on our side here in the United States.”