A low-cost airline plane rapidly descended towards the ocean at a speed of 300mph shortly after taking off. The Airbus A320 aircraft experienced a significant incident right after departing from Catania Airport in Italy. The flight was en route to Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan when a Ground Proximity Warning System alert was triggered as the plane neared the sea surface.
According to Italian aviation authorities, the aircraft received the warning alarm as it approached dangerously close to the water. The incident, classified as a serious event, involved two pilots and four cabin crew members onboard, with no passengers present during the flight.
The safety systems on modern planes, including the alert system triggered, are crucial for preventing collisions with terrain or obstacles, aiming to avoid Controlled Flight Into Terrain accidents. The Italian aviation agency initiated a safety investigation following the incident, which saw the plane reaching a distance of about 200 feet from the sea at a speed just under 300mph.
Details on the weather conditions during the incident remain unclear. However, the flight successfully landed around 2:52am local time the next day. This incident follows a recent close call involving an easyJet plane narrowly avoiding a collision with another aircraft at a French airport during heavy rain. The French transport minister promptly ordered an investigation by the air accident investigation branch (BEA) into the incident.