Unrequited Love

"The request came for MAF to pick up a critically injured person from Pyarulama and fly them to a Baptist Mission Hospital at nearby Kompiam – just eight minutes flight away. The only alternative is an horrendous walk along a narrow and unstable track, over multiple ridge lines and across multiple rivers. It is likely the patient would not have survived that journey."

Here the full story released by MAF PNG:

Click here to read the story as PDF

Janeka has shocking injuries to her fore-arms

Reopening of Rumginae Airstrip

After 1 year 4 month and 16 days we have been able to reopen the airstrip in Rumginae. On Tuesday, February 4, at about 4pm Luke Newell and I landed the GA8 Airvan on a limestone surface, under the joyful supervision of hospital staff and village people. I had not had that huge a gathering witness a landing ever before in Rumginae.
Even though I did not mind the commute to Kiunga all that much, it felt good (and somehow strange) to call Moresby flight services with the call: "taxiing Kiunga for Rumginae". I must admit that I was exited myself, too – just a little bit, anyway.

The first approach to land in Rumginae after the closure

After a long time we park in Rumginae again

Luke Newell thanks Chris Matinson for his help

Volunteer workmen and -women

A big crowed of spectators