Gilgal Airport

Primarily for national security reasons, compounded by economic factors. The airport is located in the strategic Darién Gap region (Urabá Chocoano), a corridor historically used for drug trafficking and by illegal armed groups like the Clan del Golfo. In the late 2000s, the Colombian government initiated a strategy to neutralize and destroy clandestine or low-security airstrips to disrupt narco-trafficking logistics. Gilgal Airport, being remote and difficult to secure, was likely closed as part of this broader security policy. Economic non-viability and the high cost of maintenance for a low-traffic facility would have been contributing factors.

The airport is permanently closed and completely abandoned. Current satellite imagery confirms that the runway is no longer usable, being fully overgrown with dense vegetation and trees. The outline of the approximately 900-meter runway is still faintly visible from the air, but the site has effectively been reclaimed by the surrounding jungle and agricultural land. There is no infrastructure, personnel, or activity at the site, and it has not been repurposed for any other use.

Gilgal Airport was a crucial lifeline for the isolated municipality of Unguía. It operated as a small regional aerodrome, handling general aviation traffic. Operations were limited to small, STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) capable aircraft, such as Cessna and Piper models, which are common in remote Colombian regions. The airport provided essential services, including passenger transport, cargo delivery (food, medicine), and critical medical evacuations to larger cities like Turbo and Medellín. For many years, it was the fastest and safest way to access the community, as land travel in the Chocó department is notoriously difficult and often hazardous. The biblical name 'Gilgal' suggests it may have been originally established by or for religious missionary organizations active in the area.

There are no known or published plans to reopen Gilgal Airport. The prospects for its reopening are extremely low due to several factors: the ongoing complex security situation in the region, the prohibitive cost of clearing the land and rebuilding the infrastructure to meet modern safety standards, and the limited economic demand. The nearby Acandí Airport (SKAD) serves the broader region's limited air travel needs, making the restoration of a secondary airstrip in Unguía a low priority for aviation authorities and the government.