The Press has come to know that the incident in which the engine of a Maldivian airline's seaplane was switched off was during a training flight.
A video shared on Twitter showed the seaplane's captain switching off the plane's left side engine while it was in the air. After naming the captain, the Twitter user also said that the captain had also cut off the plane's fuel during the flight.
While parent company Island Aviation's media official declined to give a comment on the incident, an employee from the airline said on the condition of anonymity that the seaplane in question was on a training flight and that the training required the pilot to steer the plane with one engine turned off.
The person also said that during the flight, only Maldivian staff were aboard the plane during the exercise.
Another pilot said that during training flights, the pilots must sometimes switch off both engines but the circumstances for this are different.
Meanwhile, Maldivian issued a statement today saying that it holds the safety of its passengers and crew in the utmost priority and that the airline operates within the regulations and guidelines set by the Maldivian Civil Aviation Authority.
It further said that any incidents that jeopardize safety are investigated and actions would be taken to guarantee the safety of the passengers and crew.
The Carrier added that local Civil Aviation Authorities would also be monitoring such incidents.
