KLM flight to Suriname diverts to French Guiana over unmanned control tower

A KLM plane from Amsterdam to Suriname diverted to neighboring French Guiana on Wednesday afternoon local time because the control tower was unmanned. Several air traffic controllers had called in sick, Surinamese Transport Minister Raymond Landveld confirmed during a press briefing.

To address the shortage of air traffic controllers, 13 trainees were deployed. A helicopter was sent to fly air traffic controllers to their work station. Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, popularly known as Zanderij, is located over 40 kilometers from the Surinamese capital, Paramaribo.

“That's what we want: for them to go to work, perhaps with a face mask, but for there to be someone in that tower,” Minister Landveld joked.

The Surinamese aviation sector is also facing other challenges. Aircraft certified in that country are no longer allowed to fly to destinations within the European Union. French Guiana is participating in the search for solutions.