Several tourists held back due to non-operational Kadhdhoo Airport

A large number of tourists and Maldivians have been held back due to the halt in airport operations caused by a faulty fire truck at Kadhdhoo Airport in Laamu Atoll.

Island Aviation’s Head of Administration Ali Nashaath said today that they are facing a number of problems because operations have been halted in Kadhdhoo airport and that 70 tourists are held back, and an additional 140 Maldivian have had to delay their travels.

“We don’t know when operations can resume. We are waiting for their call,” said Nashaath.

He said that four flights were delayed on Sunday, and that all flights for yesterday and today have had to be cancelled.

Kadhdhoo airport has not been picking up the phone, and Ministry of Transport has also not been available for a comment on the matter.

The airport’s operations have been halted due to a problem caused to the airport’s only fire truck, which had reportedly failed to start. In an interview to Sun Online, the person in-charge of the Kadhdhoo airport Ahmed Ali said that technicians are currently working on repairing the truck. He had said however, that they did not have some of the equipment needed for the repair.

Aviation law prohibits airplanes from landing on an airport without the presence operational fire truck. These problems are causing airlines great difficulties.