Kagamuga airport closed, NAC wants saboteurs arrested

News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Kagamuga airport closed, NAC wants saboteurs arrested

PORT MORESBY: All flights into Mt Hagen’s Kagamuga International Airport in Western Highlands have been suspended following an oil spill on the runway, National Airports Corporation (NAC) managing-director and chief executive officer Rex Kiponge says.

“We have issued a cautionary notam (notice to airmen) to all operators not to fly into the airport. We believe it was deliberate act (to sabotage the airport’s services).

“We are demanding the local leaders in Hagen Central to capture the saboteurs and surrender them to the police,” he said yesterday (June 5, 2022).

The sabotage is believed to have been carried out by political supporters upset with the appointment of General Election 2022 officials.

And NAC secretary Romata Geno has warned the public that anyone caught breaching civil aviation rules could be fined up to K1 million or jailed 10 years.

PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the news break and other-related news updates as published by The National:

Airport cancels all flights

June 8, 2022The NationalMain Stories

Oil spilled on the Kagamuga Airport runway. – Picture supplied

ALL flights into Mt Hagen’s Kagamuga Airport in Western Highlands are suspended following oil spill on the runway, according to the National Airports Corporation (NAC).
NAC managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) Rex Kiponge flanked by Air Nuigini CEO Bruce Alabaster and PNG Air acting CEO Stanley Stevens said, in Port Moresby yesterday, that NAC had issued a cautionary notam (notice to airmen) to all operators not to fly into the airport.
He believed it was a deliberate act. “I am demanding the local leaders in Hagen Central to apprehend the perpetrators and surrender them to police, only then we will make a decision whether to cancel the notam or to leave the notam as it is, this is a serious issue,” he said.
“We cannot continue to tolerate such things and under this management, we will be very tough and firm.
“That is why I will decide whether or not to cancel the notam or to remain as it is.”
Kiponge said assessment on the oil spill on the runway was continuing and further details would be released.
He said the perpetrators accessed the runway between 8pm and 10pm on Monday.
“I do not know how they went in and spilled oil onto the runway, it is a serious issue for us, it is a breach of Civil Aviation Act, on the encroachment of the restricted area,” he said.
“Looking at the photos, the runway is as good as gone, our technical team on the ground are accessing the extent of the damage.
“If the damage is serious, NAC has got no choice but to close the runway and to start ripping off the damaged runway and we will start repairing the runway before we open for public use.”
Kiponge said people should not hold others at ransom by stopping vital services like airports and should raise whatever issues they have with relevant authorities.
“We have NAC security, two companies providing security at Kagamuga and investigations have started.

Police investigating oil spill at airport

June 8, 2022The NationalMain Stories

A POLICE official says a team has been dispatched to investigate and arrest suspects involved in a oil spill on the Kagamuga Airport runway in Western Highlands.
The province’s General Election 2022 (GE22) operations commander Superintendent John Sagom said it was an act of “terrorism” and promised to investigate the incident thoroughly and arrest those involved.
“This is a call to the public to come forward with any information that will assist the police arrest and charge those who are responsible for this act of terrorism,” he said.
Sagom confirmed that suspects entered the Kagamuga Airport on Monday night and spilled oil on the tarmac, causing airline operators to suspend all flights in and out of Mt Hagen.
“Leaders have to be sensible and responsible. What is happening in Mt Hagen does not speak well for the local leadership if they are going to resort to such acts of terrorism, threats, force and intimidation to have it their way,” he said.
Sagom said, at the moment, a heavy presence of both police and PNG Defence Force personnel were around the airport and within the town.
In addition, he said there was a brief moment of concern in Mt Hagen town yesterday when a group of disgruntled members living around the Kagamuga Airport area staged a peaceful protest march to the airport while another group staged a protest march in Newtown along the Okuk Highway, blocking off commuters travelling into Mt Hagen town from the upper Highlands.
He said the cause of protest was due to the grievances over the appointment and handling of the Mt Hagen Open returning officer.
However, the protest was contained through swift response from the police and PNGDF personnel.
Sagom said leaders should respect the democratic election process and appealed to them to take control of the situation and work with the security forces to ensure such acts did not occur again.

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