Socotra Airport

History

Socotra Airport was first opened in July 1999. Prior to its construction, travel to Socotra was difficult and often required visitors to board cargo ships and go by sea, which itself was unreliable during monsoon season. The opening of the airport coincided with increasing development of the island.

Flights were suspended in March 2015, due to the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.

In April 2018, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) deployed more than a hundred troops with artillery and armoured vehicles to the Yemeni archipelago of Socotra in the Guardafui Channel without prior coordination with the Yemeni government, causing the relations of the two countries to deteriorate. During the occupation of Socotra, Emirati troops dismissed the Yemeni officials and took administrative control of the airport. The following month, an agreement was reached between the United Arab Emirates and Yemen where control of the airport returned to the Yemeni authorities.

On 21 June 2020, following a coup, the United Arab Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council took control of Socotra from the internationally-recognized government of Yemen, However it was retaken in the 2026 Yemeni offensive.

The UAE runs a once a week charter flight to the airport from Abu Dhabi. The flights were not authorized by the internationally-recognized government of Yemen, and have been described as illegitimate by the Houthi government and an unnamed source in the Yemeni Information, Tourism and Culture Ministry.

Airlines and destinations

| Yemenia | Aden, Al Ghaydah, Mukalla |}}

Accidents and incidents

There have been no recorded accidents or incidents at Socotra Airport. However, in 1992, a Yemeni Air Force Antonov An-12 which took off from Socotra Airport bound for Aden International Airport crashed at Bir Fabr in Abyan Governorate, killing all 58 occupants.

References

References

1. (2007-08-14). "Socotra may be part of 7 wonders".
2. Burdick, Alan. (2007-03-25). "The Wonder Land of Socotra, Yemen". [[The New York Times]].
3. White, Mel. (June 2012). "Where the Weird Things Are".
4. (31 March 2015). "Yemen's No Fly Zone: Thousands of Yemenis are Stranded Abroad". Global Voices.
5. (4 May 2018). "UAE forces 'occupy' sea and airports on Yemen's Socotra". Aljazeera.
6. (3 May 2018). "Anger erupts on Yemen's Socotra as UAE deploys over 100 troops". Aljazeera.
7. (14 May 2018). "Yemen PM: Crisis over UAE deployment to Socotra over". Al Jazeera.
8. (14 May 2018). "Yemen, UAE Agree on Deal Over Socotra". Albawaba News.
9. (21 June 2020). "Yemen separatists seize remote Socotra island from Saudi-backed government". Reuters.
10. Gambrell, Jon. (2025-01-17). "Mysterious airstrip appears on a Yemeni island as Houthi rebel attacks threaten region".
11. (2 June 2021). "Houthi gov't slams UAE over Israel tourists on Socotra and air base on Mayun island". Middle East Monitor.
12. (3 June 2021). "Foreign tourists can finally visit Yemen's idyllic Socotra. Yemenis cannot". Middle East Eye.
13. (6 August 2025). "Flights from Socotra (SCT)".
14. "Socotra Airport profile". Aviation Safety Network.
15. "Accident Antonov An-12, Tuesday 14 July 1992". Aviation Safety Network.