Air traffic into Malta is heavy for such a small island', especially during the busy summer tourist season. Almost every type of aircraft flies in, including jumbos with up to 450 passengers. Since the airport has been the sole responsibility of the Maltese authorities, there have been two minor incidents; one in which a small private plane made a crash landing, resulting in minor injuries; and another when a commercial aircraft engine caught fire on take-off. Both incidents were efficiently dealt with. The island is only 10 km in width at the widest point and Luqa airport is 3-4 km distant from each coast. The flight path along the main runway passes over the Grand Harbor on the east and over high cliffs on the west. At landing speeds, this is approximately 1 minute of flying time, so there is considerable likelihood that a disaster could be at sea.

All those persons involved in the aircraft industry whom we consulted have indicated that, forewarned of an aircraft fault, they would always prefer to come down on land, rather than in the sea. An emergency landing at sea compounds the difficulties in rescuing the passengers and salvaging the aircraft, which would be almost impossible. Luqa airport has emergency equipment immediately available, and has procedures selected according to the likely extent of the disaster. These are normally designated as “Priorities” numbered 1-3, following the practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In addition to procedures for a crash on land, preparations are in hand for rescue at sea.