Dangriga airstrip closed for emergency repairs

The Dangrigan municipal airstrip was closed to all traffic as of three this afternoon in order to effect urgent repairs. According to a press release from the Belize Airports Authority, a contract was signed Monday with M & R Construction to completely rehabilitate the badly deteriorated runway at a cost of just over two hundred thousand dollars. The job should be finished by Saturday and until then all flights to Dangriga will be re-routed to the Melinda airstrip nine miles up the Valley Road. Many of Belize’s local airstrips are in bad shape. In addition to direct safety considerations, the poor surface conditions also contribute to excessive wear on airplane tires and landing gears.