Hundreds of Tourists Stranded on Yemeni Island
Children play in the waves on the Yemeni island of Socotra, on Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag)
Adventure-seekers who traveled to Yemen’s remote island of Socotra for its extraordinary landscapes are now stranded as regional tensions disrupt travel in and out. Socotra’s deputy governor for culture and tourism told AFP that “more than 400 foreign tourists” remain on the Arabian Sea island after Yemen declared a state of emergency and closed all entry points late last month. Among those affected are some American travelers, CNN reports.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its dragon’s blood trees and dramatic cliffs, had largely avoided the direct effects of Yemen’s long-running conflict and had become a niche destination, particularly for visitors passing through the United Arab Emirates.
That relative safety has changed amid a power struggle between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Socotra is under the control of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, which has expanded its influence across southern Yemen and expelled Saudi-aligned government forces. Saudi airstrikes on a UAE-linked shipment and the STC’s plan for an independence referendum have further heightened regional tensions, prompting flight cancellations and rerouted travel. The U.S. State Department has warned against all travel to Yemen, noting it cannot provide consular services on Socotra or elsewhere in the country.
Tourists on the island say they are safe with sufficient supplies but have no clear plan to leave. One American told CNN there are “all sorts of Westerners here,” estimating the number in the hundreds. A Dutch-Polish visitor reported up to 100 Polish nationals among those stranded. Embassies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia have offered limited assistance, constrained by the lack of Western diplomatic missions inside Yemen. Some travelers have been advised to consider traveling by commercial ship to Oman and flying home from there, but many remain on Socotra, waiting for flights to resume at an unspecified date.
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