Investigation launched after Air Arabia jet plunged towards sea after take-off from Sicily

Cockpit warning urged pilots to pull up, says Italian aviation safety authority

Reports said the Air Arabia Maroc plane, which had no passengers on board, was just 60 metres from the water when it pulled up. Getty Images

Italy's aviation safety authority has launched an investigation into a “serious incident” involving an Air Arabia Airbus A320 that plummeted towards the Mediterranean Sea shortly after take-off from Catania Airport in Sicily.

Italy’s Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo (ANSV) said in a statement that the aircraft, operating with no passengers, came close to the sea surface on September 20 before a cockpit warning urged pilots to pull up.

Reports said the plane was just 60 metres from the water before it pulled up.

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“On September 20, 2025, at 21.57 UTC, shortly after take-off from Catania airport, a GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System) pull-up message was activated on the Airbus A320 aircraft, registration CN-NML, of Air Arabia, bound for Queen Alia International Airport (Jordan),” the ANSV said.

“This occurred as the aircraft approached the surface of the sea, up to a short distance from it.”

The Ground Proximity Warning System alerts pilots when an aircraft is at immediate risk of colliding with terrain or, in this case, water. The ANSV did not specify just how close the aircraft came to the sea.

There were two pilots and four cabin crew on board, according to the Italian authority. The flight continued to its destination in Jordan after recovering from the sudden loss of altitude and landed without further incident.

The airline operates Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, a joint venture with Etihad Airways, from the UAE capital, with a fleet of 12 Airbus A320 aircraft.

The low-cost airline flies to more than 30 destinations across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia and markets itself as a safety-focused, budget-friendly airline.

The A320 involved in the incident carries the Moroccan registration CN-NML, which means it was operating under Air Arabia’s Morocco subsidiary.

An Air Arabia Maroc spokesperson said it was aware of reports concerning the incident.

"We are fully co-operating with the Italian National Agency for Flight Safety (ANSV) as part of the ongoing investigation," the spokesperson said.