Rome, 4 May 2024 – Turning point for the 15 Italian tourists stranded in Socotra, Yemen. After the intervention of the Farnesina, it is scheduled for tomorrow the return flight to the Emirates. According to what we learn, the compatriots have already been notified and the situation currently presents no further problems. The group of Italian tourists has been blocked for a week in the country located in the area “strongly not recommended” from the Viaggiare Sicuri website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Among the stranded tourists, there is a 50 year old from Abruzzooriginally from Valle Peligna: “We are blocked, but not in danger. We are in a state of well-being“, says the woman who reassured friends and family with a status published on WhatsApp: “The flights were blocked exclusively for political reasons, but this is a quiet place” – she wrote – “we urged the Farnesina to return home where we all have jobs and families to support. But this community is welcoming. He’s not making us miss anything.”
The area off the coast of Yemen is “strongly discouraged” by the Farnesina but tour operators still organize trips. The group of Italians stopped on the island – made up of Milanese, Bergamo, Rimini and some Venetians – was departed Abu Dhabi on 23 April with the only weekly flight to the island but, due to the civil war that has been going on for years now, struggling to return. Bad weather has added to the complex situation from a geopolitical point of view.
On its ‘Safe Travel’ website, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds us that “it is absolutely not recommended to travel” to the island of Socotra “in the current situation” and even the Italian Embassy in Sanaa has suspended its activities until further notice.
But it is not the first time that Socotra has presented problems for Italian tourists, who have been purchasing travel packages for a few weeks, despite the destination being explicitly not recommended. In Yemen, moreover the Italian embassylike many others, it has not been operational since 2015 pfor security reasons. The choice to travel is always an individual responsibility, even more so if to non-recommended destinations. “Whoever leaves for a trip – underline the diplomatic sources – must therefore take possible inconveniences into account and above all always make sure with the tourist operators of the existence of adequate protection and safety measures”.
In the case of an organized trip, the contract stipulated with the agency or tour operator prevails, while in the case of an independently prepared trip, additional caution and responsibility is necessary. In either case, therefore, it is always appropriate to think about additional insurance policies also for medical coverage and in the event of a return with special flights. All Italian citizens who go abroad, the same sources underline, should download the free ‘Viaggiare Sicuri’ application, which allows not only to obtain information before and during a trip, but also to register on the Crisis Unit platformso as to be reachable and be able to receive useful information in real time.
