400 tourists stuck on island as flights halted over Yemen fighting: Officials

DUBAI - Hundreds of tourists are stuck on the Yemeni island of Socotra after flights were grounded over clashes on the mainland, two officials and a travel agency told AFP on Jan 5.

Over the past few days, flights in and out of Yemen have been largely restricted following a flare-up of violence between rival armed factions loosely grouped under the government but separately backed by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.

Socotra’s deputy governor for culture and tourism, Mr Yahya Afrar, told AFP: “We have more than 400 foreign tourists... their flights have been suspended.”

Another local official said all foreign and domestic flights had been grounded on the island since a state of emergency was declared in late December.

“We now have 416 foreigners stranded of different nationalities, including more than 60 Russians,” he said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

The island usually has three weekly flights from the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi carrying foreign tourists, he said.

“We have appealed and called for the resumption of flights,” he told AFP, adding that the airport should be “kept away from political conflict”.

A travel agent in Socotra, speaking on condition of anonymity, gave a similar figure, adding that many Russians but also at least two Chinese were among those stranded.

With its lush landscape, unique flora and fauna and turquoise waters home to dolphins, the Socotra archipelago has been a magnet for adventurous travellers and influencers for years.

Lying in the Indian Ocean around 350km off the Yemeni coast, the four islands and two rocky islets of the Socotra archipelago are home to some 50,000 people and have remained relatively untouched by the war that has devastated the mainland. AFP