US-Saudi Blockade Kills Yemeni Patients Seeking Treatment Abroad

By Staff, Agencies

The Civil Aviation Authority in Sanaa reminded the world on Thursday that the US-Saudi aggression's repudiation of implementing the truce regarding Sanaa International Airport caused the death of several patients who were scheduled to travel on the first commercial flight from the airport to the Jordanian capital, Amman.

The Civil Aviation spokesman, Mazen Ghanem, said that “The non-compliance of the UN-sponsored humanitarian truce's terms by US-Saudi aggression, at the beginning of last April, including the opening of Sanaa Airport for commercial flights, caused many patients to be deprived of traveling for treatment abroad.”

Ghanem stated that the countries of the coalition of aggression’s denial of permission for Yemeni airlines to land at Sanaa International Airport has negatively affected the psyche of patients, especially after completing their travel procedures to Amman.

He added, "Many expatriates who wanted to visit their families and spend the Eid holiday, were disappointed by the failure to operate flights from Sanaa International Airport, whose closure was described by 12 international organizations as an unforgivable crime on the humanitarian side."

The Civil Aviation Authority spokesman reiterated that there is no legal justification for closing Sana'a International Airport to civilian flights, calling on the international community and the United Nations to assume responsibility in taking a binding decision to open the airport.

On April, 24, Yemen Airlines announced the postponement of operating its first flight through Sanaa International Airport.

The company said in a statement that it had not yet received operating permits for the first flight from Sanaa International Airport to Amman, which was scheduled to launch on Sunday, April 24, at eight am.

It added that a few days ago, the company had booked tickets for passengers on this flight, and the airlines had completed all technical preparations in terms of the plane's arrival and take-off time between Jordan and Sanaa.

The company expressed its deep regret and apology to the travelers that the US-Saudi aggression did not allow the operation of the first flights from Sanaa International Airport.

The company expressed its hope that all problems will be overcome in the near future and that Yemeni Airlines will be allowed to resume its flights from Sanaa.

The Saudi-led aggression continues to violate the truce by detaining new fuel ships, despite their inspection and obtaining permits from the United Nations, and insisting on the closure of Sanaa Airport.