Maldives Immigration says the two Indian military aircraft landed in Hanimaadhoo International Airport today with the permission from local authorities.
In a statement via twitter, Immigration said local media reports stated that the two planes made the land without notifying immigration authorities and that these were false claims.
Immigration also said that it had given clearance for the landing upon the submission of the relevant documentation and with all the necessary permissions.
Earlier, Maldives National Defense Force said that MNDF Coast Guard and Indian Navy will assume a continuation of the joint aerial surveillance patrol of the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone today.
It said that this is a series of continued joint maritime enforcement operations undertaken by the two maritime forces since 2009.
It also said only one aircraft would take part in the operations and the other was a backup plane. MNDF added that the backup aircraft has since departed from the country and that the main aircraft would stay in the country till the 16th of September.
MNDF assured that the passengers that landed on the plane would adhere to the guidelines set by the Health Protection Agency HPA to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic that is now widespread in the country.
