What happened
A scheduled flight operated by a twin-engine aircraft departed from Al Aaiun Airport at 16:05 local time, bound for Las Palmas-Gando in the Canary Islands. During the cruise phase of the flight, which occurred less than an hour after takeoff, the crew experienced a significant drop in hydraulic pressure within the left engine.
Due to this mechanical issue, the aircraft was unable to sustain its cruising altitude. The pilot performed an emergency ditching approximately 74 km east of the Canary Islands coastline. Following the impact with the water, all four occupants were successfully rescued from the scene. However, the aircraft subsequently sank and is currently considered lost.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor leading to the emergency was a loss of hydraulic pressure in the left engine during flight.