Uncertainty about the future of airline Air Vanuatu has forced a change of venue for a football tournament.
The Oceania Football Club (OFC) Men's National Cup has been moved to Fiji following cancellations of flights from Air Vanuatu.
It comes amid reports of the airline facing bankruptcy.
Air Vanuatu Board's chair Alain Lew announced the airline's board no longer exists following the appointment of an administrator.
"Uncertainty around Air Vanuatu's flight schedules has forced OFC to move Group B fixtures in next month's OFC Men's Nations Cup 2024 from Luganville on the island of Santo in Vanuatu, to Fiji's capital Suva," the club said in a statement.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from 15 June to 30 June.
"The Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) will remain host for the Group A matches in Port Vila involving New Caledonia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, as well as the semi-finals and final."
They said they "exhausted all options in finding a solution" and made the decision to switch venues "due to uncertain flight schedules."
"The VFF exhausted all options in finding a solution but due to uncertain flight schedules, the OFC Executive Committee has made the decision to shift Group B matches featuring Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tahiti from Luganville's Soccer City Stadium to Suva's HFC Bank Stadium."
The club's decision comes after the Air Vanuatu Board's chair Alain Lew announced the airline's board no longer exists following the appointment of an administrator.
Air Vanuatu Chair Alain Lew told the Vanuatu Daily Post on Wednesday that the administrator was appointed on May 6.
In New Zealand, Auckland Airport's departure board showed the flight to Port Villa on Thursday is cancelled.
"The 12:10 flight today is showing as cancelled," a spokesperson confirmed with Newshub.
Ernst & Young has been appointed as administrator of the airline.
In 1987, the Vanuatu Government took full ownership of Air Vanuatu.
Last month, a former Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities reported the airline was facing a serious situation of bankruptcy.
Newshub has contacted Air Vanuatu for a statement.
More to come.
