Updated Monday with PN statement

An AFM helicopter was damaged as it was about to take off on Sunday morning.

The accident happened at 9am and involved an Alouette helicopter which was seen to swing around sharply as it was just above the ground and land heavily, fortunately on its wheels

The AFM gave no details but said no one was injured.

An investigation has been launched. 

It is the second accident involving an AFM Alouette helicopter this year.

In March an Alouette made a crash landing in a field in Qrendi when a routine emergency landing exercise went wrong.

Alouette single-engined helicopters have been flying in Malta’s skies since 1979, when they formed part of a Libyan military mission based here.

They were taken out of service in August 1980 after a political dispute with Libya. Three helicopters were kept in an AFM hangar for a decade before the matter was settled and the helicopters were handed to the Maltese government, overhauled in France and returned to the service.  

In 1996, the AFM acquired a further two Alouettes from the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and some of the older helicopters were retired and used for spares.

The AFM Air Wing recently also bought more modern Augusta Westland helicopters. 

PN solidarity

The Nationalist Party in a statement on Monday expressed solidarity with the aircrew and said it was thankful that no one was injured.

It said the government should be investing in new aircraft for the Air Wing, pointing out that its plans while in government had been to phase out the Alouettes. The PN government had also laid the ground for the funding of newer helicopters.