Mvula-Sanda Airport (FZAY)
Location: Sanda-Kizulu, Kongo Central
Status: Abandoned
ICAO Code: FZAY
IATA Code: None
Coordinates: -5.627750°, 13.423852°
Little information is available about the area surrounding Mvula-Sanda Airport (FZAY). In this region, National Road 1 takes a northern detour between Boma and Matadi, avoiding the challenging terrain near the Congo River. Several large villages and smaller settlements are scattered along this route.
Approximately 20 kilometers north of Matadi, a series of villages includes the name “Sanda” — notably Sanda-Samuna, Sanda-Kizulu, and Nsanda-Kitata. However, none of these settlements carry the name “Mvula-Sanda”, adding to the uncertainty regarding the airport’s origins.
No detailed online records exist about these villages, and satellite imagery suggests that they remain basic, with no significant infrastructure. The only notable building in the area, located at -5.622558°, 13.445861°, was constructed only in 2018, long after the airport had already been abandoned.
Historical Background
No information is available regarding the establishment of Mvula-Sanda Airport (FZAY), and due to the lack of documented history on the surrounding villages, its original purpose remains unknown.
The collection of colonial-era maps available online does not cover this area, meaning that the airport’s first known depiction appears in the 1967 Joint Operations Graphics, published by the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency. Interestingly, this map marks two airfields in close proximity to the Sanda villages:
- Mvula-Sanda Airport (FZAY)
- Sanda-Samuna Airport
By 1996, the U.S. Tactical Pilotage Chart shows that only Mvula-Sanda Airport remained, suggesting that Sanda-Samuna Airport was abandoned earlier.
Current Status (as of 2025)
The earliest available satellite imagery for Mvula-Sanda Airport dates to 2011. At that time, the runway already appeared abandoned, with only faint traces still visible.
One notable detail is the presence of corner markings at the northern end of the runway. Such markings are extremely rare among small airstrips in the Congo, indicating that Mvula-Sanda Airport (FZAY) once received above-average maintenance. This suggests that it may have had a more important function than a simple grass landing strip.
However, more recent satellite imagery reveals progressive decay, with the runway gradually fading over the years. The lack of any visible maintenance since 2011 strongly indicates that the airport has been completely abandoned and is no longer in use.