TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Severe weather conditions have paralyzed air travel to Taiwan's remote Matsu Islands on Tuesday (June 3), leaving hundreds of travelers stranded with no immediate way to return to the mainland. Heavy downpours and dense fog reduced visibility below safety thresholds at both Matsu Nangan Airport (馬祖南竿機場) and Matsu Beigan Airport (馬祖北竿機場), forcing authorities to ground all scheduled flights. Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration (CAA, 民航局), the island's aviation regulatory body, confirmed that 13 flights have been canceled, including 10 connecting Nangan to Taipei Songshan and Taichung airports and three linking Beigan to Songshan.
Officials from Lienchiang County's Traffic and Tourism Bureau (連江縣交通旅遊局), the local government agency overseeing transportation in the Matsu archipelago, are keeping a vigilant eye on rapidly changing meteorological forecasts. The bureau announced contingency plans that would activate if weather conditions improve by Wednesday, including arranging supplementary flights and potentially dispatching an emergency ferry service from Fu'ao Port (南竿福澳港) on Nangan Island to Taipei Port on Taiwan's northern coast. Complicating matters further, the Taima Star (台馬之星) ferry, a crucial maritime link that normally provides an alternative transportation option during flight disruptions, remains out of service due to ongoing repairs that began on May 30.
The situation has created significant hardship for hundreds of visitors to the islands, according to the Lienchiang County Travel Industry Association (連江縣旅行商業同業公會), which represents local tourism businesses. The organization reported that precisely 337 travelers on organized group tours found themselves unable to depart as scheduled by Tuesday afternoon. This transportation crisis highlights the inherent vulnerability of Matsu's isolated location, where residents and visitors depend entirely on limited air and maritime connections to reach Taiwan proper. Tourism officials have urged affected travelers to maintain contact with their tour operators and transportation providers for updates as authorities work to resolve the situation. ◼