Scores of foreign nationals who traveled to a remote island of Socotra seeking adventure have become stranded there.
European and American tourists who spoke to CNN said that up to “hundreds” are stuck on the Yemeni island, which sits between the Gulf of Aden, the Guardafui Channel and the Arabian Sea, following a state of emergency that led to the closure of all ports of entry.
While CNN cannot independently verify how many tourists are stranded on Socotra Island, it understands them to number scores at least.
Known for its unique biodiversity, the island is a classified UNESCO World Heritage Site and has become a regional hub for adventure tourism, especially among expats flying from the nearby United Arab Emirates. Visitors can expect to see dramatic cliffs, pristine white sand beaches and exotic flora like the dragon’s blood tree.
Its distance from the mainland has shielded Socotra from the worst of Yemen’s long-running conflict. But regional tensions that last week culminated in Saudi strikes on a UAE-linked shipment in Yemen have now had an impact.
One American citizen in Socotra, who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said that while tourists are physically safe, they are unsure when they might be able to return home.
“There’s a lot (of tourists),” the American tourist said, adding that his group had started making contact with others in neighboring camp sites.
“There’s all sorts of Westerners here. There’s hundreds of them.”
Rocky Road Travel, a Berlin-based tourism agency with at least 14 people stuck in Socotra, said it had contacted US embassies in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, as well as multiple European missions in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, for assistance.
Tourists on the island told CNN that embassies have been able to provide little help so far.
CNN has reached out to the UAE and Saudi Arabian foreign ministries, as well as the US embassy in Riyadh, under which Yemen falls, for comment.
Amid flight cancellations, some tourists have been advised to take commercial ships from the island to Oman, and then fly back to Europe or the US,
The UAE maintains significant economic influence over the island, however, which some analysts say amounts to de facto control over the area.
Flights are expected to resume this week, but it remains unclear when. For now, scores of visitors are waiting to return home.
There’s no shortage of food or other supplies, they say, but the situation is still frustrating.