ROMA (ITALPRESS) – The Farnesina makes known that the Yemeni airline has agreed to prepare tomorrow a first flight, with destination Gedda, in Saudi Arabia, to start solving the blockade of flights on the island of Socotra. Over 80 Italians have been blocked for days in Socotra, island of the Indian Ocean belonging to Yemen.
La Farnesina e l’ Embassy d’Italia a Riad, competent for Yemen, “Continues to keep in touch with the Italian tourists involved and is preparing on the authorities and the regional companies to prepare new flights, keeping open air space”. Since 2018 Socotra has been under the control of the “South Transitional Council (STC)”, a separatist group supported by the United Arab Emirates and in contrast with the internationally recognized Yemeni government, supported by Saudi Arabia.
The clashes between STC and government forces also resulted in the closure of the air space above Socotra from January 1, blocking the return of more than 400 foreign tourists, continues the note of the Farnesina, recalling that “the Traveling Sicuri site of the Farnesina reports how travels in Yemen, including the island of Socotra, are absolutely not advised”.
“As representative of the Association of Friendship Italo-Yemenita, I wish to express my appreciation for the announcement of Yemenia Airways concerning the start of direct flights between the island of Socotra and Jeddah, an important step that contributes to solving a humanly and logistically complex situation.” Arhab said this to Sarhi, representative of the Association of Friendship Italy-Yemen, in an interview with Italpress, on the story of Italian tourists stuck on the island of Socotra because of the crisis in the south of the Arab country. “In the last few days – continues at the Sarhi – I personally followed, together with other institutional interlocutors, the dossier concerning Italian tourists who remained stuck on the island of Socotra because of the operational difficulties and the suspension of regular air connections. Our commitment focused on coordination with the competent authorities, dialogue with the national airline and constant contact with the government, in order to ensure a safe and dignified solution.”.
“The operation envisaged with the first direct flight represents a concrete result of these joint efforts and confirms the importance of international cooperation and the role of informal diplomacy in managing emergency situations involving foreign citizens,” he added. Arhab al Sarhi therefore reiterates “the personal commitment to continue working for the protection of Italian citizens in Yemen and for the strengthening of relations between Italy and Yemen”.
-Photo Press Office friendship Italy Yemen-
(ITALPRESS).
