Over 400 sightseers are marooned on Socotra owing to the embargo on air travel over Yemen.
Airport (illustrative photo) / © Credits
Over 400 international visitors are held up on the Yemeni isles of Socotra due to flight cancellations. The transport stoppage stems from increased armed clashes on the mainland between state armies and insurgents.
This is according to a report by Barron's.
Reasons for the transport disruption
Reportedly, air routes to and from Yemen have been curtailed following a surge of aggression between factions formally part of the pro-government alliance. Nevertheless, these factions get assistance from various foreign entities – the Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Due to the rise in military actions and airspace closure, scheduled flights from Abu Dhabi, the island's primary route of contact with the globe, have been put on hold.
Socotra’s Deputy Governor for Culture and Tourism, Yahya bin Afrar, emphasized the severity of the matter: “There are in excess of 400 overseas holidaymakers there, their flights have been called off.”
As per another regional official, who requested anonymity, the individuals trapped on the island include 416 foreigners, with upwards of 60 being Russian nationals, alongside citizens from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, China, and Poland.
Diplomatic Measures and the Safety Context
Western diplomats indicate that visitors who traveled to the archipelago for New Year’s festivities are now reaching out to their embassies for help with repatriation.
“Socotra is situated in a very precarious area, where armed fighting has been ongoing for years. The safety scenario has now further declined – with the rise in armed actions, the airspace is shut,” communicated Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Maciej Wewir via the social platform X.
Local authorities are imploring that civilian infrastructure not be drawn into political combat.
“We have lodged a request and called for the resumption of air routes. The airport ought to remain apart from political conflicts,” a representative from the island’s governing body emphasized.
The Socotra archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its distinctive plant and animal life, has historically been spared the civil conflict in Yemen. Nevertheless, the situation has intensified recently as the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) has made advances on pro-Saudi force positions. Riyadh has countered by undertaking airstrikes on rebel emplacements.
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