The Maldives government has announced the opportunity to interested parties to operate helicopter services, aimed at expanding the Maldivian aviation industry.
The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has announced that interested proponents to submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) for should launch the service in the Maldives. The helicopter service will include guest transfers as well, the ministry added.
The ministry envisions Maldives aviation sector expansion with the introduction of helicopter services, enhanced patient transfers, search and rescue missions, and increased connectivity in the tourism industry.
The Transport Ministry is seeking to grant a 10-year exclusive deal for the successful proponent to operate helicopters at a commercial capacity and transport guests domestically.
The EOIs will be followed by a proposal submission, which must be in line with the ministry’s strategic objectives and action plan for the aviation industry. Proponents can submit their EOIs either to the ministry’s office at Umar Zahir Office Building, Hulhumale’ or send via email.
The introduction of helicopter services aims to provide uninterrupted aviation options for guests and other passengers across the Maldives, with the Minister of Transport Mohamed Ameen noting that the introduction of helicopters would provide an additional option besides seaplanes for tourists. He also highlighted that helicopter services would ensure guests have a travel option during the night since seaplane operations stop at dusk.
Besides this, the new aviation option would also enhance airlifting patients across the country, since currently two military-class helicopters carry patients. The two helicopters are gifts from the Indian government.
Notably, commercial helicopters operated previously in the Maldives during the 1990s — operated by Maldivian Air Taxi Pvt Ltd and Hummingbird Helicopters Pvt Ltd.
Commercial helicopter services, however, were ended after a string of fatal accidents during the late 1990s, which included two helicopter crashes near Rangali in 1999, claiming a total of 14 lives in both incidents.