The life-saving beach runway on Atauro Island
A beach runway has reopened on Timor-Leste’s Atauro island, allowing MAF to be a lifeline to its residents
A beach runway has reopened on Timor-Leste’s Atauro island, allowing MAF to be a lifeline to its residents
The benefits of reopening the beach airstrip on Timor-Leste’s Atauro Island became clear just hours later when we did our first medevac flight.
An 18-year-old woman suffering from severe anaemia and a stroke was flown to the capital, Dili for urgent medical attention.
The flight took 14 minutes. Before, a lengthy boat trip to the mainland was the only option - if the weather permits.
It has taken eight months of hard work by the island community, clearing trees and levelling the ground to restore the disused airstrip, last used in the 1970s.
Our pilot Michael travelled by sea taxi to survey the work. MAF pilot and country director Jonathan Lowe carried out a number of test circuits overhead before the country’s Civil Aviation Division gave its approval. It was then a momentous occasion when the MAF aircraft, now able to provide a lifeline to these isolated people, threw up the dust as its wheels touched down for the inaugural landing.
The tropical island, north of Dili, is connected by a ferry service just once a week. This two- to three-hour trip over a very deep strait of water isn’t guaranteed in bad weather. On the island is just one road connecting two communities along the east coast.
Barry Hinton, who lives and works in Atauro, said the medical evacuation capability was crucial. He shared about a pregnant woman who died in labour, suffering with pre-eclampsia. 'There were no medevac capabilities at the time. She needed a Caesarean and you can’t do that here.’
In October 2013, Mr Hinton and others from the community started lobbying any government minister who came through Atauro that rebuilding the airstrip was necessary and possible.
'It was just timing. Life is timing and it was all good timing,' Mr Hinton added. 'It happened very quickly and whoever made those decisions, thank you very much.'
MAF's planes provide life-saving ambulance flights in Timor-Leste, and helps missions, relief and development workers reach and serve in more isolated areas
Versatile and spacious, the GA8 Airvan is ideal for rugged terrain and gruelling conditions MAF operates in.
Illness, accidents and childbirth complications can be catastrophic for those living in remote and isolated areas. Hours or days of overland travel to reach the hospital are not an option for those with life-threatening medical problems
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Back in 2013, MAF Timor-Leste received an urgent call to help 23-year-old Elizita Cardoso, a young mother whose joy at expecting twins turned to fear when she began to show signs of pre-eclampsia pregnancy complications.
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