Matsu requests C-130 military aircraft to take stranded visitors home

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) The Lienchiang County government, which administers the Matsu Islands, said Tuesday it asked the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to provide C-130 military transport planes to fly visitors stranded in Matsu back to Taiwan's main island, after Typhoon Danas disrupted air and sea traffic over the weekend.

However, due to poor visibility caused by a thunderstorm, the runway at Nangan Airport in Matsu -- located about 9 kilometers off southern China but controlled by Taiwan -- was temporarily closed, delaying one of the planes.

Chen Ju-lan (陳如嵐), head of the Lienchiang County Traffic and Tourism Bureau, said the MND agreed to provide C-130 transport planes to help evacuate an estimated 1,300 visitors in six round trips on Tuesday.

Hundreds of visitors gathered at Nangan Airport at 7 a.m., hoping to secure seats on the military planes.

One visitor, who asked to remain anonymous, told CNA that their three-day getaway to Matsu had been "upgraded" to a six-day trip due to Typhoon Danas. They expressed hope that more military transport planes would be deployed so all stranded visitors could return home soon.

However, Matsu authorities estimated that around 2,000 visitors were grounded by Typhoon Danas, meaning hundreds would still be stranded Tuesday night, Chen said.

Nangan Airport reported that the first C-130 landed at 12:09 p.m. and departed for Taipei Songshan Airport at 12:29 p.m., followed by a second transport plane arriving at 1:50 p.m. and taking off at 2:10 p.m. for the same destination.

Chen said the cruise ship New Taima is scheduled to sail from Keelung Port to Matsu.

He added that the cruise ship, along with airlines resuming operations, should be able to send all stranded visitors in Matsu home tomorrow.

As of press time, 589 people had secured seats on the cruise ship scheduled to depart for Keelung Wednesday morning, the bureau said.

Danas made landfall in Budai Township, Chiayi County, late Sunday as a typhoon and weakened into a tropical storm early Monday before moving north of Taiwan on Monday evening. The storm left two people dead and more than 680 injured, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center.