AFM helicopter sustains damage before taking off

An Alouette AS9211 helicopter belonging to the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) experienced an incident during takeoff preparations at the AFM's Air Wing base.

The incident occurred around 9:00am on Sunday and resulted in damage to the helicopter's control surfaces.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the aircrew involved in the incident. The nature of the damage has prompted the AFM to launch a thorough investigation to determine the causes leading to the malfunction.

The AFM's Air Wing is crucial for a number operations, including search and rescue missions, surveillance, and transportation. 

The AFM said further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.