A serious incident involving an Airbus A320 occurred shortly after take-off from Catania Airport in Sicily. The budget airline, Air Arabia, was bound for Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan when the aircraft hurtled towards the sea at a speed of 300mph.

The incident took place at 9:57pm on September 20. Just moments after take-off, the aircraft triggered a "Ground Proximity Warning System pull-up message". This warning is a critical safety feature designed to prevent collisions with terrain or obstacles, aimed at averting Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accidents.

According to the Italian aviation accident investigation agency, the warning was activated as the plane approached the sea surface, coming alarmingly close at about 200 feet. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 noted the significance of these safety systems in modern aviation.

The agency confirmed that the flight continued without further incident. There were no passengers on board; the crew consisted of two pilots and four cabin crew members. Following a preliminary review of the incident, the agency classified it as a serious incident and has opened a safety investigation.

Reports from Italian outlet la Repubblica Palermo indicated that the aircraft was travelling at just under 300mph when the warning was issued. It remains unclear whether weather conditions were favourable at the time of the incident. The flight successfully landed at approximately 2:52am local time on September 21.

This incident highlights the importance of safety systems in aviation and the need for thorough investigations to ensure passenger safety in the future.