MAF halts services in Jayawijaya<\/p>\n
WAMENA, Irian Jaya: The Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has
\nsuspended flights to remote areas in Jayawijaya district, Irian
\nJaya, due to reckless behavior from local residents which is
\nthreatening the safety of the flights and their passengers.<\/p>\n
\"Every day locals casually pass right in the middle of the air
\nstrip without thinking of the possible dangers to aircraft taking
\noff or landing,\" Edison Djiko, head of the MAF office in Wamena
\nsaid here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
According to Djiko the decision took effect on Dec. 30, a day
\nafter a MAF pilot was almost killed as he was forced to suddenly
\nmaneuver to avoid a person who had walked right onto the airstrip
\nas the plane was about to take off.<\/p>\n
\"We decided to stop the flights until the air strip is cleared
\nof people passing by,\" he added.<\/p>\n
\"We carry basic commodities and construction materials to
\nisolated areas in the regency,\" he said of the typical cargo the
\nflights carried.<\/p>\n
Separately, an operator of Wamena airbase, Atja Juhana, said
\nit is difficult to bar locals from walking on the airstrip.<\/p>\n
\"They even destroyed the airfield fence and used the wood for
\nfirewood,\" he said. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/maf-halts-services-in-jayawijaya-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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