MARSHALL IS: Dometic air services grounded indefinitely
Updated
Marshall Islanders are again feeling the isolation of island life, after the shut down of it's only domestic airline. Air Marshall Islands operates two aircraft but one plane was taken out of service two weeks ago while the second plane was grounded at the weekend after a mid air emergency.
Presenter: Lynette Hyslop
Speakers: Giff Johnson the editor of the Marshall Islands Journal
HYSLOP: A fortnight ago the government owned 'Air Marshall Islands' 34 seater Dash-eight aircraft was grounded after the pilot reportedly allowed the temperature on one engine to over heat.
As a result the plane is out of service indefinitely while the engine is sent away for inspection and overhaul.
Then at the weekend the airlines only other aircraft a 19 seater carrying passengers had to turn back mid flight after an engine failed. Giff Johnson, Marshall Isands Journal.
JOHNSON: The plane was about fifteen minutes away from where it had taken off from Majuro when one of its engines turned off mid flight, so the pilots turned around to come back to Majuro to land. Fortunately they were able to get that engine back on during the flight and were able to safely land but as a result of that the plane has been grounded and they are doing overhaul and maintenance on the plane to determine what actually happened. So the flights Sunday and today Monday have all been cancelled.
HYSLOP: Giff Johnson the editor of the Marshall Islands Journal. He says those onboard at the time remained calm.
JOHNSON: I talked to one of the passengers immediately after, and he said the passengers did not freak out or start jumping up and down or anything. But it was very clear. You just looked out the window and you could see the propellor was not moving on one of the engines and the problem seemed to magnify itself he said when the other engine started a bit of spluttering. Fortunately the pilots were able to get the other engine back on and safely landed the plane back in Majuro with no other difficulties.
HYSLOP: Giff Johnson says the loss of the only two domestic aircraft creates many problems with dozens of islands relying on them for essential services.
JOHNSON: The air transportation affects medical evacuations. When a patient is in critical condition on an outer island, they radio into Majuro to get a special flight to bring them into the hospital for treatment. So clearly the longer both planes are down the more potential health impacts there are. And just generally for communications and delivery of passengers and a modest amount of cargo, you know a lot of the outer islands depend on these flights. There are several outer islands that have high schools and a lot of the teachers are just going back because school is to start this week so getting teachers, students, principals and what have you back to the outer islands so school can begin is also possibly an issue now.
HYSLOP: He says how long the airline will be out of service is anyone's guess
JOHNSON: We are out in the middle of no-where in the pacific, so just to get engines out and to get parts in, it's like its ten days to two weeks to get parts in even when its special ordered and a hurry up must go kind of situation
