Preparing for Any Circumstance, Emergency Drill Practice to Run Today at VIA

Wednesday 16th of March 2022

Later this evening, Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) will be holding a full-scale emergency drill at the gateway to the Maldives, Velana International Airport (VIA).

This is something that is required to be held every two years by the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority (MCAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and it was mentioned by MACL’s Deputy CEO Ibrahim Thoha during the press conference that was held yesterday about this event.

During this exercise, VIA’s emergency plan and standard operating procedures as well as the emergency plan of the airline will all be tested. Furthermore, the level of coordination between MACL’s departments, government institutions, and other relevant institutions will also be tested during this simulation. 

The drill is to be held in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which will serve as the casualty management capacity of emergency responders and health facilities. Thirty different institutions are scheduled to participate in this exercise, which will amount to 400 people taking part in the event, which already makes it the biggest aviation exercise in the Maldives.

“The last-minute preparations for this exercise are now complete. All parties participating in this exercise have conducted information and training sessions,” said Thoha. 

The official airline for this drill is Emirates and they will be active in its safety operation plan and will collaborate with the airport’s emergency services. This also marks the first time an international airline joins in this kind of exercise in the Maldives.