Hundreds of foreign tourists are still stranded on Yemen’s remote Socotra Island after commercial flights were suddenly suspended, a disruption triggered by escalating tensions on Yemen’s mainland and a growing rift between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. What began as a routine holiday trip for many visitors has turned into an open-ended wait, with no clear timeline for when normal air travel will resume.
The crisis unfolded after the UAE withdrew its troops from Yemen last week, acting under a deadline imposed by Saudi Arabia. This withdrawal also marked the end of Emirati control over Socotra’s main airport, a development that quickly led to the suspension of all flights. As a result, an estimated 400 to 600 tourists who had flown in, many to celebrate the New Year, suddenly found themselves unable to leave the island.
Confusion and a lack of official communication have deepened the anxiety among those stranded. “Nobody has any information and everyone just wants to go back to their normal lives,” said Lithuanian tourist Aurelija Krikstaponiene, who had planned to return to Abu Dhabi. She now faces the prospect of rerouted travel, possibly via Jeddah, once alternative flight paths are arranged.
For many travellers, the uncertainty is compounded by financial concerns. “We have a limited amount of cash, and most people will run out in two or three days,” said Maciej, a Polish tourist travelling with a group of around 100 people. He explained that Socotra has no ATMs or card payment facilities, leaving visitors dependent on whatever cash they brought with them. “When it runs out, we’ll be sleeping rough and relying on food aid from local residents,” he added.
Poland’s foreign ministry confirmed that Polish citizens are among those stranded, noting that flights operated by an Emirati airline were suspended because of the deteriorating security situation. A Western diplomat told Al Jazeera that British, French and American nationals are also on the island, while a local official said at least 416 people of various nationalities, including more than 60 Russians, remain unable to depart.
Socotra, long regarded as a tranquil refuge from Yemen’s brutal civil war, lies more than 300 kilometres off the country’s coast in the Gulf of Aden. The island is renowned for its unspoilt beaches, rare biodiversity and unique plant life, including the iconic dragon blood tree. Its isolation had largely protected it from the violence that has ravaged mainland Yemen, making it safe enough to attract a steady flow of adventurous tourists.
Yet Socotra’s serene image masks its strategic importance. Located near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s busiest and most sensitive maritime chokepoints, the island holds significant geopolitical value. Analysts have described it as functioning like an “unsinkable aircraft carrier,” as control over Socotra offers leverage over regional security dynamics and major global trade routes.
Since 2020, the island has been administered by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group seeking autonomy and eventual independence for southern Yemen. Recent clashes between STC forces and Saudi-backed government troops on the mainland have led to airspace restrictions and the grounding of flights to Socotra, even though the island itself has not seen direct fighting.
As the situation drags on, stranded tourists have begun contacting their embassies for assistance. A Western diplomat said relevant embassies have approached Saudi and Yemeni authorities to explore evacuation options, though practical solutions remain limited. The US State Department acknowledged reports of flight closures and cancellations, reiterating that it advises against all travel to Yemen and cannot provide routine consular services there.
Some visitors have been advised to consider leaving Socotra by boat to Oman and flying onward from there, but many are hesitant to attempt what could be a risky sea journey. For now, most remain on the island, waiting for flights to resume.
Despite the stress, a few tourists are trying to remain positive. “I am enjoying each day on the island, just as I did before we found out that we would be staying longer,” said Romanian visitor Bianca Cus, reflecting a determination among some to make the best of an unexpected situation.
Officials have not offered a firm timeline for when air travel will restart, saying flights are likely to resume only once the security situation stabilises. Until then, Socotra’s visitors remain in limbo, caught between the natural beauty of a holiday paradise and the spillover effects of a deepening regional power struggle.
The disruption on Socotra is ultimately a byproduct of a widening split between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, once close allies in Yemen’s civil war. While both countries originally intervened to counter Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, their objectives have diverged over time. Saudi Arabia continues to back Yemen’s internationally recognised government, while the UAE supports the STC, whose ambitions include control over southern Yemen and Socotra.
Tensions escalated in recent weeks after UAE-backed STC forces expanded their territorial control. Saudi Arabia responded with airstrikes against STC positions, prompting the UAE to pull out its troops, including from Socotra. With Emirati oversight of the airport gone and fighting intensifying on the mainland, flights were halted, leaving hundreds of foreign tourists stranded on an island that had long remained on the margins of Yemen’s war.
