Four Manggarai Timur residents airlifted to Labuan Bajo after Flores quake
Four residents of Manggarai Timur whose health worsened during the Flores earthquake emergency response were flown by Basarnas helicopter to Labuan Bajo on Thursday, 27 August 2026, and taken to RSUD Pratama Komodo for urgent medical care.
By Pandi Muktar
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· Event date: · 3 min read
Labuan Bajo — Four residents of Manggarai Timur were evacuated by air to Labuan Bajo on Thursday, 27 August 2026, after their health deteriorated during the emergency response to the Flores earthquake. They were flown aboard a Basarnas Dauphin helicopter and taken to RSUD Pratama Komodo for further medical treatment, according to Radio Republik Indonesia and the news outlet Tirto.id.
The four residents were reported to be suffering from stroke, shortness of breath, asthma and severe dizziness, conditions that required rapid access to referral-level care. Their names and individual medical diagnoses were not disclosed in the reports.
The evacuation took place while the helicopter was supporting a logistics mission in North Lamba Leda District, Manggarai Timur. At the time, the aircraft was distributing aid from Dharma Wanita Persatuan Basarnas to communities affected by the earthquake. The team received information from family members and companions about residents needing urgent medical assistance, prompting the medical evacuation.
Why air evacuation was used
Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office, said the decision to evacuate the residents by air was based on their medical condition and the need for faster access to health services in Labuan Bajo. According to his statement cited by Tirto.id, the team assessed that the patients required immediate treatment and therefore chose the air route to reach referral facilities more quickly.
Reports indicated that the patients’ condition was not suitable for waiting for ground evacuation, and air transport was considered the safest and fastest option. The coverage did not provide detailed information about road conditions, travel times or the specific state of health facilities in Manggarai Timur.
The Dauphin helicopter flew from North Lamba Leda to Labuan Bajo and landed safely at Komodo Airport at 13:11 WITA on 27 August 2026. Ambulances then transported all four residents from the airport to RSUD Pratama Komodo for follow-up examinations and treatment.
Part of wider Flores earthquake response
The air evacuation formed part of the Flores Earthquake Disaster Search and Rescue Operation, coordinated by Basarnas and involving combined SAR teams. The operation was underway in mid-August and continued through late August as authorities responded to the impacts of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Manggarai Timur and surrounding areas.
According to Basarnas information reported by Radio Republik Indonesia and other national media, helicopter deployments supported both logistics distribution and medical evacuations for residents whose conditions were considered critical or required specialised care in Labuan Bajo. The same Dauphin helicopter had previously been used to evacuate other injured residents and to move medical personnel into affected districts.
As of 27 August, combined SAR personnel continued to monitor affected communities and remained on standby for further evacuations or emergency medical assistance, according to the reports. No public updates had yet detailed the subsequent condition of the four evacuated residents or how long they remained under care at RSUD Pratama Komodo.
Sources
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