Aussies among tourists trapped on remote desert island

Wednesday, 7 January 2026 13:30

International travellers have been caught up in a bitter Middle Eastern conflict, throwing their travel plans into chaos.

The federal government is helping Australian tourists stranded on a remote desert island in Yemen.

They are among scores of foreign travellers who visited the island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean before being caught up in rising tensions between regional powers.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is providing consular assistance to a small number of Australians currently in Yemen," a DFAT spokesperson said today.

Frankincense and bottle trees grow on the Yemeni island of Socotra on Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag)

"Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment."

Travel plans for about 400 international tourists became disrupted when Yemeni authorities imposed a state of emergency on Socotra leading to the closure of ports of entry, including the island's airport, reports say.

The island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the rare Dragon Blood tree. It has become a magnet for adventure tourists and social media influencers attracted by its stunning cliffs, rare fauna and pristine white sand beaches.

Yemen has been mired for more than a decade in a civil war that involves a complex interplay of sectarian grievances and the involvement of regional powers.

The Iran-aligned Houthis control the most populous regions of the country, including the capital Sanaa. Meanwhile, a loose regional coalition of powers - including Saudi Arabia and the UAE - has backed the internationally recognised government in the south.

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.

Flights are expected to restart this week, but it is still unclear when.

DFAT advises Australians against travelling to Socotra due to ongoing armed conflict and a very high threat of kidnapping and terrorism. There are also military operations against Houthi targets in the Red Sea.

Australia, like many other Western nations, does not have an embassy or consulate in Yemen.

Officials at the Australian embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, are unable to provide emergency help to citizens in Yemen.

- With AP, CNN