HILARY HOSIA
After two years of zero Internet connectivity, the people of Enewetak finally made contact with families and friends in the outside world through social media following restoration of the island’s Internet this past Sunday.
According to the local council, Internet has been down since July 2018.
Enewetak is the most northwestern atoll in the Marshall Islands and given its nearly 700-mile distance from Majuro, even transportation by sea and air is rare.
“Not everyone can afford to make phone calls,” a happy resident told the Journal while on Facetime with relatives in Hawaii for the first time in years Sunday evening.
In an instant, NTA technicians John Frisco Lang, Carter Maun and Stephen Loeak gained hero status on Enewetak. The three boarded a chartered Air Marshall Islands flight last Friday and were seen working the communications tower minutes after landing on Enewetak — their workload kept the team hard at work into Sunday.
Later that Sunday, United Church of Christ Reverend Timius Hermios recognized the NTA team for their hard work and service for the people.
Subscribe to the Marshall Islands Journal by clicking on the subscribe button at the right to read more about this and other news from the Marshall Islands.