An Icelandair pilot flying from Frankfurt lowered his aircraft and flew over his hometown of Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, without permission on Saturday.
Incident in Vestmannaeyjar
The incident occurred on Saturday over the town of Vestmannaeyjar. The pilot of the Icelandair passenger plane, en route from Frankfurt, lowered the flight altitude and flew very low over his hometown, according to Icelandic news outlet Ruv.
The event caused concern among residents, who reported noise and shaking buildings.
Airline Response
Icelandair stated that the maneuver was performed without its knowledge or consent. “There was no permission for this from our side and it happened completely without our knowledge,” said Linda Gunnarsdóttir, Icelandair’s director of flight operations.
Pilot’s Final Flight
The flight was reportedly the pilot’s last before retirement. Icelandair is investigating the altitude of the flight and whether any regulations regarding minimum altitude over buildings were violated.
“We are investigating this matter. We are taking this situation very seriously,” Gunnarsdóttir emphasized, adding that initial assessments indicate no safety hazard, but the situation exceeded normal procedures.
Investigation and Apology
The incident has been reported to the police and the local transport authority. Icelandair has apologized to residents.
