A Manta Air seaplane sustained extensive damage amid severe weather that battered the Maldives on Wednesday.
Multiple weather alerts were in effect for several regions, including the Malé area, throughout Wednesday, as strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms were recorded in many islands.
In a video widely shared on social media platforms, the plane can be seen with its nose shattered and right wing broken, repeatedly being slammed against the beach by the waves.
“The plane was docked alongside a platform near a resort in Malé Atoll. The mooring lines that secured the aircraft to the platform severed amid rough conditions, resulting in significant damage,” a Manta Air official told local media.
The plane is currently being repaired, Manta Air said.
While the weather has worsened in recent weeks, the Maldives Meteorological Service warns of three days of rough conditions as a weather system formed over the east of the Maldives makes its way across the archipelago into the Arabian Sea.