News

TMA sea plane crashes upon landing

A Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) sea plane has tipped over and crashed upon landing at the Velana International Airport (VIA) on Saturday. All 12 passengers on board were safe.

The plane crash occurred at 8:34 AM. There were 12 people -- nine local passengers and three crew members on board at the time of the crash, all of whom were marked safe.

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) also worked at the site with a TMA rescue crew to save the passengers onboard.

The aircraft had submerged completely, and was about seven metres below sea level. However, the team was able to scrape most of the parts out of the water.

Passengers and crew who suffered minor injuries were sent to the Hulhumalé hospital for treatment.

Civil Aviation Authority, on Saturday, revealed that the sea plane had tipped over and crashed into the Water Aerodrome of VIA, adding that passengers taken to the hospital have been discharged. The authority has launched a probe looking into the sea plane crash, assuring that the investigation is currently underway.

Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) is a private airline headquartered on the grounds of Velana International Airport in Maldives. TMA is the oldest air transfer operating in the country, providing seaplane transfer services to a large number of tourist resorts. TMA currently operates the world’s largest seaplane fleet.