Maldivian student injured in Spain plane crash undergoes surgery; condition now stable

A 27-year-old Maldivian student pilot injured in a plane crash in Spain has undergone surgery and is now in stable condition. The student, who is pursuing pilot training on a higher-education loan, has been able to contact his family following the operation.

Government sources confirmed the surgery but did not disclose further details.

Spanish newspaper La Rioja reported that the student sustained head injuries and fractures to his feet and legs. The 26-year-old flight instructor onboard the aircraft suffered serious head and cervical spine injuries, according to the report.

The crash occurred during touch-and-go training exercises at Agoncillo Airport. The aircraft involved was a twin-engine Tecnam P2006T operated by FlyBy, a pilot-training school based in Spain.

The aircraft reportedly crashed from an altitude of about 300 feet into an agricultural area known as Ulagosa, located in Viana.

Spanish media reports state that the aircraft was carrying:

• a flight instructor with over 700 hours of flying experience, and  

• a Maldivian student in the final stages of his pilot training.

The identity of the student has not yet been officially confirmed. While La Rioja identified him as Maldivian, two other Spanish outlets reported that the student was Pakistani.

Attempts to obtain an official comment from the Maldivian Foreign Ministry have so far been unsuccessful.

The Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.