City of uMhlathuze said they are on course to get flights back on track following the temporary suspension of flights at the Richards Bay Airport.
The City said the main Rescue Fire Fighting Response Vehicle, Rescue 1 (R01), experienced a mechanical failure of its gearbox on Thursday.
“It is important to note that Rescue 1 is a specialised vehicle designed by the German manufacturer Rosenbauer specifically for airport environments. Regrettably, this particular vehicle cannot be substituted by any other fire tenders within the uMhlathuze Municipality fleet.”
The City added that following the mechanical issue, the original equipment manufacturer was immediately summoned to site for repair. “Despite efforts made by a specialist gearbox mechanic, the complexity of the problem, which was determined to be both pneumatic and electronic-related, rendered an immediate repair unfeasible.”
The City said that it was evident that Rescue 1 would remain out of service until the necessary pneumatic and electronic parts were brought to site. “In adherence to safety protocols, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) was duly informed, and airport management issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) downgrading the aerodrome from Category 5 with CAT operations to Category 4. This decision was made to prioritise the safety of passengers, necessitating the temporary suspension of flights, particularly affecting the operations of commercial airliner Airlink.”
The City added that they apologised for any inconvenience caused to passengers and stakeholders as a result of the downgrading of the airport and the suspension of flights that occurred last week. “The safety and well-being of all airport users remain our paramount concern. We are pleased to announce that a replacement fire tender, compliant with aviation regulations, was successfully sourced and introduced at Richards Bay Airport late Sunday, 10 March 2024.”
The City said that with the restoration of the appropriate fire-fighting capabilities, the airport has resumed normal operations and has reverted to Category 5 status. “Passengers affected by the temporary suspension of flights are encouraged to engage directly with Airlink for information regarding the resumption of services. The uMhlathuze Municipality is committed to learning from this incident and is implementing measures to prevent a recurrence.”
The City added that they assure the public that every effort is being made to maintain the safety and efficiency of operations at Richards Bay Airport.
The Mercury