Maltese Pilot’s Sky Drama in Beijing

Maltese Connection in Beijing’s Sky Scare

Imagine, for a moment, you’re walking along Republic Street in Valletta, the sun warming your face, when suddenly, you hear a deafening roar overhead. You look up, and instead of a plane soaring by, you see it plummeting towards the Grandmaster’s Palace. That’s the kind of shock that residents of Beijing’s Chaoyang district felt on Monday, as a small plane ‘crashed’ into their city’s tallest building, the 528-meter China Zun.

From Malta to Beijing: The Pilot’s Journey

At the heart of this story is Maltese pilot, Mario Xuereb. Born and bred in Birkirkara, Mario moved to China over a decade ago, chasing his dream of flying. He’s now a seasoned pilot, working for a small Beijing-based aviation company. On Monday, Mario was at the controls of a small, two-seater plane, a Yakovlev Yak-52, a type of aircraft he’s flown countless times.

Mario was on a routine training flight, practicing emergency procedures over the city. Little did he know, this flight would turn into an emergency of its own.

Crash or Controlled Descent?

Witnesses reported seeing the plane spiraling out of control, but Mario insists it was a controlled descent. “I had to make a quick decision,” he said in a phone interview. “The engine stalled, and I had to bring her down. It was either crash into the street, or use the building’s height to our advantage.”

The plane hit the 87th floor of the China Zun, a luxury office building, with a thud that through the city. Miraculously, both Mario and his trainee walked away with minor injuries.

In Beijing, news of the ‘crash’ spread like wildfire. Social media platforms were abuzz with videos and photos of the plane sticking out of the building. The incident has sparked a conversation about safety measures and emergency procedures in the city.

Malta’s Reaction

Back home, Mario’s family and friends are relieved. “We’re just glad he’s okay,” said his mother, Mary Xuereb, from her home in Birkirkara. “Mario’s always been a careful boy. He knows what he’s doing.”

The Maltese aviation community has also rallied around Mario. “This could have been a lot worse,” said a spokesperson for the Malta Aviation Society. “Mario’s quick thinking and skill saved lives today.”