The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) said that the PT6 type training aircraft that crashed near China Bay Air Force Academy, Trincomalee, was manufactured in China in 2018 based on an order made by the SLAF.
SLAF Spokesperson Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe said that although the total operational time of the aircraft is 4,000 flight hours, only about 800 flight hours have been conducted so far.
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara made a statement yesterday (08) in Parliament stating that the aircraft in question was an old aircraft manufactured in 1958.
Group Captain Wijesinghe said that all the planes owned by the Sri Lanka Air Force were purchased between 2000 and 2018. He said that the planes ordered in 2001 have also only completed 2,800 flight hours.
Accordingly, he said that there is no issue in using all the relevant planes in training activities.
He said that Hongdu Aviation Industry Group Ltd. (HAIG) formerly China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation or CNAMC commenced the manufacturing of this type of aircraft on August 27, 1958 but they were operationalised in 1960.
Group Captain Wijesinghe said these aircraft have been used for training in the Chinese Air Force as well.
However, apart from Sri Lanka, these planes have been given to many countries including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and so far the number of planes produced is more than 2,000, he said.
Two Air Force personnel-the pilot and an Air Force Engineer-were killed when this training aircraft crashed near the China Bay Air Force Academy in Trincomalee on Monday (07) at around 11.27 am.
Although the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has banned 22 institutions operating illegal pyramid schemes, no legal action has been taken against any of them so far, according to reports.
This was disclosed during a workshop held at the CBSL yesterday (July 08) on the dangers of pyramid schemes.
According to CBSL officials, after initial investigations, the files were handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further inquiry.
The CID’s Financial Crimes Unit has reportedly completed its investigations and submitted findings to the Attorney General’s Department, which is responsible for filing cases.
However, it was noted that not a single case has been filed to date.
The CBSL states that investigations will be continued against companies engaged in these illegal practices and hopes at least one or two such cases would be filed by the end of this year or early next year (2026).
U. D. Nishantha Jayaweera was sworn in as a National People’s Power (NPP) National List Member of Parliament before the Speaker of the House – Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, today (July 09).
He fills the Parliamentary seat left vacant following the resignation of Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma last month.