Real Tonga Airlines (Tongatapu) has had its Jetstream 32 grounded by the Tongan government after it made an emergency landed in Tongatapu on Wednesday, January 7.
The Matangitonga press says the Minister of Infrastructure, ‘Etuate Lavulavu, personally ordered the aircraft “be detained and grounded” indefinitely until a complete report of the incident is submitted to the Ministry by the airline.
The turboprop, on lease from FlyPelican (FP, Newcastle Williamtown), was in-bound from Vava'u with 19 passengers on-board when one of the engines lost power. The rest of the journey to the capital was done on one engine.
The Tongan carrier also operates an MA-60 and a Y12E, both of which were gifts from China.
