Quiterajo Airstrip

Quiterajo, MZ 🇲🇿 Closed Airport

ICAO

MZ-0049

IATA

-

Elevation

- ft

Region

MZ-P

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: -11.75407° N, 40.42514° E

Continent: AF

Type: Closed Airport

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 26, 2025
Closure Date

The exact date of closure is unknown, as the airstrip likely fell into disuse gradually. It is believed to have become largely inactive after Mozambique's independence in 1975 and the subsequent Mozambican Civil War (1977-1992). Any potential for rehabilitation was completely nullified by the onset of the Cabo Delgado insurgency around 2017, which rendered the region unsafe and the airstrip definitively abandoned.

Reason for Closure

The closure was a result of multiple factors over several decades. The primary reasons include: 1) **Post-Colonial Decline:** Following the end of Portuguese colonial rule, many small, rural airstrips lost their administrative and economic purpose and fell into disrepair due to a lack of state funding and maintenance. 2) **Mozambican Civil War:** The prolonged conflict from 1977 to 1992 devastated rural infrastructure and made civilian operations in areas like Cabo Delgado untenable. 3) **Economic Non-viability:** The airstrip served a small, remote community, and without a specific economic driver (like a major plantation, mine, or tourist lodge), it was not economically feasible to maintain. 4) **Regional Conflict:** The ongoing insurgency in Cabo Delgado since 2017 has made the area an active conflict zone, precluding any possibility of civilian aviation.

Current Status

The site is completely abandoned and unusable for aviation. Satellite imagery shows a clearly defined but heavily overgrown dirt runway, approximately 1,200 meters in length, with no remaining infrastructure such as buildings or hangars. The area is located within the Macomia District of Cabo Delgado, a region that has been severely affected by the Islamist insurgency. The village of Quiterajo itself has been the target of attacks. Therefore, the site is currently an unmaintained strip of land in an active conflict zone with no formal use.

Historical Significance

Quiterajo Airstrip was a typical bush airstrip, likely constructed during the Portuguese colonial era. Its significance was purely local. It served as a vital link for the remote coastal village of Quiterajo, connecting it to regional centers like MocĂ­mboa da Praia or Pemba. Operations would have been limited to light, single or twin-engine propeller aircraft (e.g., Cessna, Piper). Its primary functions would have included: providing access for government administrators, supporting local agricultural or fishing enterprises, facilitating medical evacuations, and possibly serving a minor military or security role during the colonial period. It was part of a wider network of unpaved airstrips that were essential for governing and accessing remote parts of Mozambique before the development of reliable road networks.

Reopening Prospects

There are currently no known plans or prospects for reopening the Quiterajo Airstrip. Given the severe and ongoing security crisis in the Cabo Delgado province, any infrastructure development, especially for a minor local airstrip, is not a priority. Reopening would require not only a complete and lasting resolution to the conflict but also a significant economic incentive and investment to rebuild and maintain the facility, none of which are foreseen in the near future.

Nearby Airports

Medjumbe Airport
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MocĂ­mboa da Praia Airport
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Matemo Airport
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Macomia Airport
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Ibo Airport
IBO • FQIB
Ibo, MZ
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~69 km away
Quirimba Airstrip
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~78 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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