About 600 tourists stranded on Socotra after Yemen flights halted

About 600 foreigners have been stranded on the Yemeni island of Socotra after flights were halted amid an escalating conflict on the mainland, turning the nature sanctuary into a geopolitical trap. The cancellations followed rising tensions between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and a separatist faction that seized control of two provinces in early December.

On Dec. 30 the Yemeni government imposed a 72-hour air, sea and land embargo that included flights to and from Socotra, and roughly 600 tourists — mostly Russians and Poles, according to Yahya Saleh Issa bin Afrar, a Yemeni government official in Socotra — have been left in limbo.

The tourists had flown to Socotra from Abu Dhabi on the Emirati-owned Air Arabia; the Russian and Polish governments said on social media that Yemenia Airways would begin regular service to Jeddah. Air Arabia’s press office did not respond to questions about the cancellation, the report said.

The island, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for endemic flora and distinctive landscapes, sits in a strategic position in the Indian Ocean and has been affected by a widening Saudi-Emirati rift. The report noted that Saudis back the Yemeni government while the separatist faction has received support from the United Arab Emirates, and that the feud culminated on Dec.

Key Topics

World, Socotra, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemenia Airways