Tourexpi
Yemen completes evacuation of stranded foreign tourists from Socotra
Yemeni authorities have completed the evacuation of
all foreign tourists who were stranded on Socotra Island, transferring a total
of 609 visitors of various nationalities to Saudi Arabia. The operation was
carried out via four evacuation flights amid recent security tensions in
southern Yemen.
According to the Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
the evacuations were conducted in close coordination with Saudi authorities.
All tourists were flown safely to King Abdulaziz International Airport, where
they were received by local officials.
Final flight marks end of evacuation operation
Yemen’s Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani
confirmed that the final evacuation flight departed Socotra earlier on
Saturday, formally concluding the operation. Speaking through Yemen’s official
media, he said the completion of the airlift demonstrated effective national
coordination in managing what he described as a humanitarian situation.
“With the departure of the last flight, the transfer
of all stranded foreign tourists has been successfully completed,” al-Eryani
said, adding that the authorities had acted swiftly following the disruption of
air traffic to the island.
Plans to restore international connectivity
Alongside the completion of the evacuation, al-Eryani
announced that regular international flights between Socotra and Jeddah are
expected to resume in February. He said the move is intended to help restore
confidence in Socotra as a safe destination for international tourism. In
addition, Yemen plans to launch a new international air route linking Al-Mokha
Airport in southwestern Yemen with Jeddah.
The evacuations began earlier this week after air
traffic to Socotra was disrupted due to unrest in parts of southern Yemen,
prompting concerns over the ability of foreign visitors to depart the island as
scheduled.
Socotra’s strategic and tourism context
Located around 300 kilometres off Yemen’s southern
coast, Socotra has in recent years remained relatively accessible by air,
particularly via the United Arab Emirates, despite the country’s prolonged
conflict. The latest evacuations come against a backdrop of shifting political
and military dynamics in southern Yemen, including developments involving the
Southern Transitional Council.
Yemen was unified in May 1990, bringing together the
former North and South Yemen into the modern Republic of Yemen. Recent events
in the south, however, continue to affect perceptions of stability and access,
making the restoration of air connectivity to Socotra a key issue for both
tourism and international confidence.
Image
Credit: © AA
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