Hundreds of tourists stranded on Socotra as Yemen fighting halts flights

More than 400 foreign tourists are believed to be stranded on Yemen’s Socotra archipelago after flights were suspended amid renewed fighting on the mainland, officials and a local travel agency said.

Over recent days, air traffic in and out of Yemen has been severely restricted following clashes between rival armed factions aligned with the internationally recognised government but backed separately by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Socotra’s Deputy Governor for Culture and Tourism, Yahya bin Afrar, told news agency AFP there were “more than 400 foreign tourists” on the island, adding that “their flights have been suspended”.

Another local official said all domestic and international flights were grounded after a state of emergency was declared late last month. “We now have 416 foreigners stranded of different nationalities, including more than 60 Russians,” he said, requesting anonymity. A local travel agent confirmed similar figures to AFP.

According to the news agency, a Western diplomat said “dozens” of tourists who travelled for New Year celebrations were now seeking help from embassies. Another diplomat cited “a mix of nationalities including British, French and American”.

Socotra, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its biodiversity and dragon blood trees, lies about 350km off mainland Yemen’s coast and has largely avoided the decade-long war that began when Houthi rebels seized Sanaa in 2014.

Flights from Abu Dhabi, typically operating three times a week, remain suspended as diplomatic efforts continue to secure evacuations.