Air Malta investigates case of girl who slept on board

Air Malta is continuing its investigation into the case of a Bulgarian teenager on an Air Malta flight who slept through landing in Sofia and returned to Malta on the same aircraft last Monday.

The teenager Maria Illieva, 17, was travelling alone and fell asleep on the plane, only waking up on the plane's return to Malta, Reuters reported.

Air Malta said yesterday that the flight KM784, was a combined operation departing Malta to Istanbul and on to Sofia, finally returning to Malta.

This type of operation permitted transit passengers to remain on board while those arriving at their destination disembarked.

During this time the aircraft is serviced and security checked for the next sector. This procedure was carried out both at Istanbul and Sofia airports.

Air Malta said that upon landing at Sofia airport passengers bound for this destination were repeatedly advised to disembark. But the passengers who commenced their journey to Malta from Istanbul remained on board.

The airline said that investigations on this event to date have resulted in the preliminary conclusion that the passenger concerned did not communicate with the crew.

"Since a headcount conducted by the crew tallied with the declared number on the passenger manifest as prepared by the airline's handling agent in Sofia, the flight continued as scheduled."

Air Malta said it will be investigating the matter in greater detail and will be in contact with the passenger.