President Dr. Muizzu has decided to reintroduce safe helicopter flight services in the Maldives.

This decision came after the Cabinet deliberated on a paper given by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.

President Dr. Muizzu has decided to mandate 'Medivac' and 'Search and Rescue' services, utilizing twin-engine helicopters to initiate helicopter operations. However, public transportation via heliport would require a special permit.

He has also initiated measures to accommodate a heliport Velana International Airport and measures to establish a heliport in another location if required. The President also resolved to revamp the structural framework of the Civil Aviation Authority, incorporating provisions and compensation to incentivize technically qualified individuals from the industry and ensure their sustainability in the sector.

Speaking on cabinet decisions, The principal secretary to the president on public policy, Abdulla Nazim said that the cabinet had decided to use a two-engine helicopter to provide the service. He also said that the cabinet had decided to open a bid to find people to provide the two services and hand over the contract to the winner for a period of 5 to 10 years. In addition, he said that the Cabinet has decided to give six to seven years of exclusivity to the service provider and provide services to maintain ICAO standards.

Nazim added that the cabinet has decided to rope in experts for helicopter operations and increase the budget for civil aviation. The cabinet has also decided to designate a dedicated area for helicopters at Velana International Airport (VIA) and build a heliport in more areas if necessary.

MNDF already has a Dornier aircraft and two helicopters under its control for use in these works. However, the use of aircraft and helicopters has come to a halt due to ongoing efforts to evacuate Indian troops.

Nazim did not disclose details of the government’s decision on the Indian aircraft and the two helicopters. He also did not specify whether they would be used for the operations.