A Boeing 737, the same model as that involved in the recent ill-fated Ethiopian tragedy, was diverted to Alicante airport on Tuesday evening.
Belonging to Tuifly the plane was travelling from Gambia to Brussels when it entered European airspace shortly after the introduction of the grounding order issued as a precautionary measure by the European Air Safety Agency, suspending all flight operations of all Boeing aircraft, model 737-8 MAX and 737-9 MAX in Europe. As such the pilot was required to land at the closest airport where passengers were able to change planes and travel on to their destinations.
The aircraft is currently parked on the airport platform while aircrew await authority for it to travel on without passengers.
Aena, meanwhile, has confirmed that there are no airlines that operate at Alicante with this model of aircraft although Norwegian Airlines does have six aircraft.
The grounding of the aircraft in Spain, is a “preventive measure” that will be maintained until “the reasons for the recent crash are clarified” said the director of the State Agency of Aerial Security (AESA), Isabel Maestre.
