A Sri Lanka Air Force C130 aircraft, which left for Nepal on Sunday arrived yesterday with 42 Sri Lankans on board. It included 25 members from the Under 14 Women's Football team, Sri Lankan students studying in Nepal and several tourists. This was the first time in history a Sri Lankan aircraft was utilised for a rescue mission in a foreign country, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Kolitha Gunathilake told media. Addressing the media at the Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday, Commander Gunathilake said Sri Lanka was among the first three countries to arrive in Nepal to provide assistance. He said the prompt response on the part of the Sri Lanka Air Force and the accomplished skills of the captain of the aircraft V.G.P. Mahanama and Co-pilot D.K.M. Krishantha enabled them to land the aircraft in Kathmandu under dangerous and threatening conditions. All Air Force personnel were given standard training to face such situations.The Sri Lankans who were stranded in Nepal have been brought to Sri Lanka safely, he added.