A critically ill patient was flown from Niuatoputapu to Tongatapu on Sunday in an emergency medical evacuation approved by the Police Minister.
Police Minister Paula Piukala confirmed in Parliament on Monday that Lulutai Airlines conducted the medevac after an alert from the Ministry of Health.
The Lulutai airline’s Twin Otter aircraft transported the patient via Vavaʻu before arriving in Tongatapu for urgent medical treatment.
The approval comes weeks after Piukala declined authorization for a foreign air ambulance to evacuate two patients from Tonga.
At the time, Piukala defended his decision, stating, “If there was no emergency, why is there a need to request for air ambulance?.”
The latest medevac highlights ongoing concerns over Tonga’s emergency response capabilities, particularly in remote islands.
Authorities have not disclosed details of the patient’s condition or whether alternative evacuation options were considered.
