What happened
On the day of the incident, the aircraft 8Q-MAG, a seaplane, departed from a floating platform attached to a jetty in the North Ari Atoll at 09:45. The flight was intended to be a 40-minute aerial photography mission around the Halaveli Lagoon. On board were three crew members and four passengers. The weather conditions were reported as clear with good visibility and westerly winds of 8 to 10 knots.
After the initial takeoff and reaching a level altitude, the co-pilot moved to a seat in the third row to allow a passenger, acting as a cameraman, to occupy the co-pilot seat. The aircraft performed several right-hand orbits around the island at a steady altitude before descending to lower levels to capture more images of the lagoon. Once the passenger indicated that the necessary photography was complete, the pilot began a descending right-hand turn. During this maneuver, the right wing and float struck the water surface.
The impact caused significant structural damage, including the breaking of both wings at the wing root and the twisting of the empennage. The left float became detached, while the right float became lodged between the engine and the fuselage, obstructing the co-pilot's exit path. The wreckage settled in approximately one meter of water. Despite the damage, all seven people on board successfully evacuated the aircraft, and there were zero fatalities.
Findings
- The aircraft was performing a low-altitude descending turn for the purpose of completing a photography mission.
- The impact with the water occurred before the turn could be completed.