MACL seeks police probe into drone malfunction at terminal opening
According to the letter, an emergency issue occurred shortly before the final formation of the drone show.
Top Stories
-
Serious crime suspects can't be released 'in 5 mins': President
-
Police identify 5 arrested in Addu in major drug network bust
-
Govt may allow return of 1-bedroom flats for reapplication: Pres
-
President says many public requests addressed, more under review
-
‘Drug café’ owners could face 15 years in jail, million-MVR fines
Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has requested a police investigation into the crash of drones used during a drone show held at the opening ceremony of the new passenger terminal at Velana International Airport on Saturday night.
A letter signed by MACL Managing Director and CEO Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed was addressed to Police Commissioner Ismail Naveen. The letter has since been circulated on social media.
While Shareef did not respond to phone calls for comment, he confirmed to other media outlets that the letter was sent by MACL. He expressed regret that the letter, intended to be confidential, was made public.
According to the letter, an emergency issue occurred shortly before the final formation of the drone show. MACL stated that some drones fell into the sea and onto the ground, while others went missing.
“The operator of the drone show and the company have suffered serious losses in this incident,” Shareef wrote in the letter dated Monday.
MACL indicated that the disruption may have been caused by third-party interference with the frequency used by the drones or through other means. A full rehearsal had been conducted prior to the event.
The letter also noted that technical personnel present at the airport during the incident experienced signal and network interruptions. However, following the drone show, the system was reset without further issues. The cause of the disruption has not yet been identified by MACL or the company responsible for organising the drone show.
MACL stated that efforts are ongoing to assess the extent of the damage suffered by the operator. The damage could lead to financial liability for MACL, depending on the terms of the agreement with the show’s organiser.
“The company believes that a thorough investigation is essential to determine the cause of the incident,” the letter said.
Some of the drones reportedly fell onto the airport runway, prompting its temporary closure for cleaning operations. The closure caused delays to several flights.
