In a high-stakes rescue mission, a Canadian pilot successfully evacuated the family of an American doctor who tested positive for the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Dominic Villeneuve, 30, originally from Kamloops, British Columbia, flew the family to safety in neighboring Uganda on May 20, 2026.
Villeneuve, a pilot for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), a Christian organization that provides aviation support to isolated communities, expressed confidence in the safety measures taken during the flight. He wore personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout the 75-minute journey and stated that he was not particularly worried about his own well-being.
The American physician had been working at the remote Nyankunde Hospital and was evacuated separately to Germany for specialized treatment. His wife, also a doctor, their children, and another medical professional who had direct exposure to the virus were aboard Villeneuve's flight.
Background and Experience
Villeneuve joined MAF in 2019 after obtaining his pilot's license through the Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta. He moved to the DRC in 2021. His passion for aviation began in childhood, when he would ride his bike to the airport with his father to watch planes. At age 14, he became a Christian, and shortly after, an MAF pilot visited his church, inspiring his career path.
This was not Villeneuve's first high-pressure evacuation. Last year, he evacuated humanitarian workers from a community threatened by an approaching army, leaving just 20 minutes before the army arrived. However, this was his first medical evacuation involving a virus like Ebola.
Ebola Outbreak Context
The evacuation occurred amid a rapidly evolving epidemic driven by a rare variant of the Ebola virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the crisis a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 16. As of the latest reports, there have been 125 confirmed Ebola cases, including 17 deaths, and 906 suspected cases with 223 deaths.
Villeneuve noted that individuals without symptoms are not contagious. The family members were asymptomatic at the time of the flight, though there was a risk they could develop symptoms mid-flight, which would have exposed him to the virus. Despite this, he remained calm and focused on the mission.
