What happened
Originally scheduled for a 07:00LT departure from Lisbon, the flight was delayed until midday because of unfavorable weather. The aircraft eventually departed from the Lisbon-Cabo Ruivo Seaplane Base at 12:23LT, heading toward Funchal on Madeira Island. Following takeoff, the crew received clearance to climb to an altitude of 8,000 feet. Approximately 17 minutes into the flight, the pilot requested a descent to 6,000 feet.
At 13:21LT, the captain transmitted a brief emergency message containing the code 'QUG emergency'. Because no further communication was received from the aircraft, search and rescue operations were initiated. These efforts continued for several days before being called off, as investigators could find no wreckage or any sign of the 36 fatalities. The use of the international signal 'QUG', which indicates an immediate need to land or a forced alighting, suggested that the crew was facing an urgent situation.
Findings
Because no debris or remains were recovered, investigators could not establish a definitive reason for the disappearance. While the exact cause remains unconfirmed, authorities did not rule out the possibility that an onboard explosion or a significant mechanical failure occurred during the flight.