The BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA) has confirmed that residents of Anegada will continue to have access to medical evacuation (medivac) flights despite the abrupt closure of the Captain Auguste George Airport on the sister island.
This after Anegada residents took to social media to voice their displeasure with the closure of the airport which resulted from a decision by the BVIAA to transfer Anegada’s fire truck to Virgin Gorda.
According to the Airports Authority, the decision was the only available option at its disposal at the time.
“The decision to temporarily close the Anegada Airport was a carefully considered operational choice aimed at mitigating potential adverse impacts on the territory as a whole. We want to assure you that various options were thoroughly explored to keep the airport open; however, due to certain operational constraints, this unfortunately could not be achieved,” the BVIAA said in a statement.
To ensure that flights for medevac purposes could continue during the airport’s closure, the BVIAA said special permission was sought and granted.
“This proactive measure ensures that in the unlikely event of an emergency, immediate and necessary medical assistance can be provided to those in need on the island. We understand the importance of timely and efficient emergency response services, and we want to assure you that no efforts were spared to secure this special permission for the benefit of the Anegada community,” the BVIAA added.
Relocation of fire truck temporary
Meanwhile, the Airports Authority assured the residents of Anegada that the relocation of their fire truck is a temporary mitigation measure until the Virgin Gorda fire truck is repaired.
“Sourcing the required part which must be imported is a high priority and the expectation is to have it in Tortola by Tuesday,” the BVIAA stated.
The BVIAA also revealed that it is in the process of procuring two additional fire tenders to address the issue of its ageing fleet, which should be in place by the end of January 2024.