The government said that the Italian military fighter jets that landed at the airport yesterday for a technical stopover. With clearance obtained, they will continue to make stopovers at the airport until Friday, as part of their route for aerial training.
The government has stated last night that the Italian military jets that landed at the Velana International Airport (VIA) earlier Tuesday had made the stop for a technical stopover.
Four military fighter jets and a cargo plane had landed at the country's main airport yesterday afternoon.
Speaking with Mihaaru News, a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated last night that Italian military officers are scheduled to transit through Velana International Airport en route to their destination for aerial training and back to their country.
The official stated that therefore, the aircrafts are scheduled to make stops at the airport until Friday.
A loud roar was heard across the Male' area as the aircraft descended towards the airport yesterday afternoon to make its landing. The event attracted the attention of many, with videos of the aircraft circulating on social media soon after.
The government official stated that the loud noise was due to the features of the American-manufactured Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft, equipped with the latest technology. However, they assured that the aircraft harbor no weapons or cargo.
"When these aircraft land, Maldives also benefits. Their purchase of fuel benefits MACL. They are also paying for the time they spend in stopover. Moreover, the crew sometimes rent guesthouses to rest," said the official.
The official further assured that all military aircrafts had made the pitstop after obtaining diplomatic clearance from all related institutions.
Military aircrafts from Italy had also previously made visits to Maldives twice over the past year for refueling and other logistical reasons.
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