Two pilots, flying in a single-engine aircraft, escaped unhurt yesterday, after they encountered difficulties and had to carry out an emergency landing in a field in Luqa, close to the airport.

The two-seater aircraft – a Tecnam P92-J – which is owned by European Pilot Academy, overturned and came to a standstill in a field alongside Triq Garibaldi, close to Civil Aviation Avenue, at about 1pm yesterday.

In a brief statement to journalists following the accident, Nigel James Dunkerley, operations manager at European Pilot Academy, said the pilot was Maltese, while the other person was a Swiss woman.

Although he initially referred to the woman as an examiner and instructor, Captain Dunkerley later corrected himself, saying they were two commercial pilots.

Cpt. Dunkerley said an Armed Forces of Malta helicopter was in the area at the time of the accident and went on site. He said European Pilot Academy had not yet established the reason behind the emergency landing.

“The two pilots escaped uninjured, and they followed standard safety procedures and secured the plane. Official investigations are underway, but we are, as yet, completely unaware of what went wrong,” he said.