The New Zealand government said Tonga has not requested any assistance with the investigation of the Real Tonga aircraft that belly landed at the Kaufana airport last month as report says.
The Director of the Real Tonga Airline, Tevita Palu was quoted by a local newspaper saying a team of experts from New Zealand would arrive in Tonga last weekend to investigate what had happened to the aircraft.
The office of Hon. Murray McCully, the New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs, said the government did not send investigators to Tonga.
“The New Zealand Government is aware of the incident, but there has been no request for NZ Civil Aviation Authority assistance and they are not investigating,” McCully’s Press Secretary has told Kaniva News.
Read more: No injuries reported after Real Tonga’s Queen Air crash landed in Eua
The Real Tonga’s Queen Air made an emergency landing in Eua last month after the aircraft's nose landing gear failed to deploy.
Passengers of the aircraft were reported by local media as saying after they boarded the aircraft at Fu'amotu Airport it took them about an hour before they took off to ‘Eua.
The passengers reportedly noticed the pilot acted worriedly.
The Samoan pilot has been stood down by the airline while investigation is underway.
News in Tongan
Kuo faka'ikai'i 'e he pule'anga Nu'u Sila ha'ane 'oatu ha timi 'o ha kau fakatotolo ki Tonga ke vakai'i 'a e fakatamaki ko ia ne hoko ki he vakapuna Queen Air 'a e kautaha vakapuna Real Tonga ne to o heke 'aki hono kete 'i he mala'e vakapuna Kaufana 'i he mahina kuo 'osi.
Na'e ha 'i ha fakamatala 'a e taha 'o e ngaahi nusipepa Tonga 'a e pehe 'e he Talekita 'o e Real Tonga, Tevita Palu 'e 'i ai 'a e timi 'o ha kau fakatotolo mei Nu'u Sila e 'oatu ki Tonga he uike kuo 'osi ke nau tokoni 'i hono fakahoko 'o e fakatotolo.
Pehe 'e he sekelitali 'a Murray McCully 'a ia ko e minisita ia 'a Nu'u Sila ki Muli ne te'eki ai ke nau 'oatu ha timi fakatotolo ki Tonga.
Na'a ne pehe ne nau 'ilo pe ki he me'a nae hoko ka 'oku te'eki 'omi ha kole ia mei Tonga ke 'oange ha kau fakatotolo mei he va'a fefolau'aki vakapuna 'sivile 'a Nu'u Sila ke fai 'a e fakatotolo.
Ko e vakapuna Queen Air 'eni 'a e Real Tonga na'e matu'utamaki 'i he mahina kuo 'osi koe'uhi ko e 'ikai lava 'a e kia tu'uta 'o e vakapuna ke ngaue.
Na'e pehe 'e he kau pasese i hano lipooti 'e he mitia fakalotofonua ne hili 'enau heka ki he vaka ne mei lava ha houa 'e taha 'enau fefainga'aki pea toki lava ke nau mavahe ki 'Eua.
Ne nau pehe foki ne nau fakatokanga'i 'a e pailate 'oku 'asi 'a e hoha'a meiate ia.
Kuo tuku ki tu'a 'a e pailate Ha'amoa ko 'eni lolotonga ia 'oku lele a e fakatotolo ki he me'a na'e hoko ki he vaka.
