Tômbua, AO 🇦🇴 Closed Airport
ICAO
AO-0054
IATA
-
Elevation
144 ft
Region
AO-NAM
Local Time
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: -15.800486° N, 11.885896° E
Continent: Africa
Type: Closed Airport
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The airport is believed to have ceased operations sometime after Angola's independence in 1975 and during the subsequent Angolan Civil War (1975-2002). A precise date of formal closure is not documented, but it fell into disuse due to the conflict and economic collapse of the region during that period.
The closure was a result of a combination of factors:
1. **Economic Collapse:** Tômbua, formerly Porto Alexandre, was a major fishing center. The departure of Portuguese colonists in 1975 and the ensuing civil war led to the collapse of this industry, removing the primary economic justification for the airport.
2. **Angolan Civil War:** The prolonged conflict led to the widespread destruction and abandonment of infrastructure across the country. Maintaining a small, regional airstrip was not a priority, and it likely fell into a state of disrepair.
3. **Infrastructure Consolidation:** The nearby provincial capital, Moçâmedes (now Namibe), has a much larger and more capable airport, Welwitschia Mirabilis Airport (IATA: MSZ, ICAO: FNMO), located approximately 95 km to the north. This larger airport was modernized and serves the entire region, making the small Tômbua airstrip redundant.
The airport is completely abandoned and derelict. Satellite imagery of the coordinates shows the faint but clear outline of a single, unpaved runway in the arid landscape. There are no remaining buildings such as a terminal, control tower, or hangars. The site is unused, with the runway slowly being reclaimed by the desert environment. It is not maintained and is unsuitable for any aviation use.
During the Portuguese colonial era, the airport (then known as Porto Alexandre Aerodrome) was a vital transportation link for the economically significant fishing town of Porto Alexandre. Its primary role was to support the thriving fishing industry, facilitating the transport of personnel, urgent supplies, and high-value, perishable cargo. It handled general aviation, small charter flights, and possibly limited scheduled services by the colonial airline DTA (a precursor to TAAG Angola Airlines) using smaller propeller aircraft. It provided an essential connection for the relatively isolated coastal community to the provincial capital and the rest of the country.
There are no known or credible plans to reopen Tômbua Airport. The region's air transport needs are adequately met by the modern Welwitschia Mirabilis Airport in Namibe. The economic case for the significant investment required to rebuild and operate this small, remote airstrip is non-existent. Government infrastructure priorities are focused on larger, more strategic projects and improving road networks, making the reopening of Tômbua Airport highly improbable.