News - Yemen: A Yemeni woman, Maryam Hammoud Hadi, died Saturday at Sanaa International Airport while boarding the plane to travel for treatment, due to US-Saudi restrictions and siege, after suffering from great illness.

The director of Sana’a Airport, Khaled Al-Shayef, explained to Almasirah that the death of the passenger came as a result of the difficulty in obtaining reservations and the delay in her travel amid the US-imposed siege on Sana’a Airport. “There are thousands of similar cases,” he added.

Al-Shayef indicated that the US-Saudi aggression coalition and its mercenaries have reduced the number of flights to Jordan from 6 flights per week to 3 flights only.

He revealed the tragic situation of sick travelers as a result of the blockade and ban imposed by the aggression coalition on Sana'a Airport, with the exception of one destination to Jordan.

For his part, the Undersecretary of the Authority of Civil Aviation and Meteorology, Raed Jabal, called on the UN to take a binding position for the aggression coalition and its mercenaries to allow the operation of Sana’a airport to all destinations. 

He stressed that the death of the traveler, who was on her way to treatment in Jordan, is one of dozens of daily deaths in the country as a result of the blockade and the closure of the airport.

He explained that the number of current flights from Sana'a airport does not serve the minimum needs of the Yemeni people, and any restrictions on the airport are inconsistent with international laws, calling for the speedy opening of Sana'a International Airport to neutralize Yemeni Airlines.

Earlier on Tuesday, officials at the Ministry of Public Health and Population confirmed that the restriction of Sanaa International Airport to one destination (Jordan) and the limited flights exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and the suffering of patients.

The head of the Supreme Medical Committee, Dr. Mutahar Al-Darwish, confirmed to Almasirah that only 10% of the patients who cannot be treated in Yemen are able to travel in light of the US-imposed siege on Sana'a airport.

He noted that 60,000 patients who cannot be treated in Yemen are registered in the Supreme Medical Committee and the same number in medical centers, and the number is increasing with the continuation of the blockade.

For his part, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Health for the Population Sector, Najib Al-Qabati, confirmed that the needs of the patients as a result of 9-year US-imposed blockade are not addressed by a single destination, and specific and restricted flights from Sana'a Airport.

He pointed out that 30% of patients in Yemen need to travel for treatment abroad amid the bad health sector's situation and the lack of all capabilities.

“A single destination for travel from Sana'a airport means the continued exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis and the suffering of the patients inside,” he added.

Al-Qubati pointed out that there is an urgent need to open Sana'a airport to direct air freight traffic to provide medicines, supplies and sensitive medical equipment.

The US-Saudi aggression imposes a suffocating blockade on Yemen and closes ports and airports to increase the suffering of the Yemeni People and create deteriorating living and economic conditions. It is trying to barter the humanitarian aspect to obtain political and military gains at the expense of the Yemeni People.

The blockade has caused tremendous suffering for millions of Yemenis who are largely dependent on imports of food, fuel and medicines. It is one of the main reasons for the large-scale humanitarian crisis in the country that has pushed millions of Yemenis toward starvation and death due to lack of medical supplies, prompting the UN to call it the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.