Yinugen Airstrip

The closure was not due to a single event like a military conversion or major accident. It was the result of a combination of factors common to remote PNG airstrips: a lack of consistent funding for maintenance, the runway becoming overgrown and unsafe due to insufficient upkeep by the local community, and a decline in or cessation of regular flights by the missionary or government organizations that were its primary users.

The airstrip is permanently closed and non-operational. Satellite imagery of the coordinates shows a faint outline of the former runway, but it is completely overgrown with dense vegetation and has effectively reverted to bushland. The site is unusable by any aircraft and there is no remaining aviation infrastructure. The land has been reclaimed by the surrounding jungle.

Yinugen Airstrip was a critical lifeline for the isolated communities in the Torricelli Mountains of East Sepik Province. When active, it handled operations by small, rugged STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, such as the Cessna 206, Pilatus Porter, and Britten-Norman Islander. Its primary function was to support missionary aviation groups (like Missionary Aviation Fellowship - MAF) and government services. The airstrip was essential for performing medical evacuations (medevacs), delivering vital supplies like medicine and food, transporting personnel such as doctors, teachers, and government patrol officers, and providing the only reliable connection to the outside world for the local population.

There are no known or published plans to reopen Yinugen Airstrip. The process would be costly and difficult, requiring significant investment to clear, re-grade, and certify the runway. Furthermore, it would necessitate a renewed commitment from an aviation operator and the local community for long-term maintenance. Given the large number of similar disused airstrips across Papua New Guinea and the lack of any specific economic or social project in the immediate area, the prospects for reopening are considered extremely low to non-existent.