flydubai confirms ground incident in Maldives — all passengers safe

Dubai: A flydubai aircraft has been involved in a ground incident at Velana International Airport in the Maldives, the Dubai-based carrier confirmed to Gulf News on Wednesday.

All passengers and crew safely disembarked to the terminal following the incident on December 4, with no injuries reported.

"Our aircraft at Velana International Airport (MLE) was involved in a ground incident on 04 December," a flydubai spokesperson said. "All our passengers and crew have safely disembarked to the terminal."

The airline said it moved swiftly to minimise disruption, accommodating affected passengers on the next available flights whilst the aircraft undergoes a comprehensive inspection.

"Passengers have been accommodated to travel on the next available flights while the aircraft undergoes a thorough inspection," the spokesperson added. "The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority at all times."

Details regarding the nature of the ground incident, the aircraft type involved, and the flight number have not yet been disclosed by the carrier. However, social media posts suggest that the aircraft in question was a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8.

It is said the collision damaged part of the jet’s wing, forcing the airline to cancel its onward flight to Colombo while engineers carried out inspections and repairs. No injuries were reported.

flydubai maintains a strong safety profile, with no major incidents in recent years. During the Dubai Airshow 2025 last month, airline CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith emphasised fleet reliability.

He said, "Our Boeing 737 MAX additions enhance efficiency and safety across 120+ routes." The airline operates frequent Maldives flights from Dubai, catering to leisure traffic from UAE and beyond.