The Sri Lanka Air Force PT-6 training light aircraft that disappeared from radar screen after it took off from China Bay, Trincomalee has crash landed near a stream bordering the Janaranjana tank in Sooriyapura, Kantale, Police said.
Airforce and Police rescue teams are presently in the area trying to get the pilot out from the crashed aircraft.
The trainee pilot identified as K.R.S.V.B. Amarakoon found dead at the crash spot.
The PT-06 aircraft was among the six aircrafts that were given to Sri Lanka Airforce in May, 2018 by a Chinese manufacturer called M/S CATIC of China.
The Aircraft, painted in a new colour scheme of the SLAF, were inspected and flight tested by SLAF Engineers and Pilots and were deemed to be in conformance with the specifications and ready to be inducted into the SLAF Fleet, according to a statement issued by the Air Force at that time.
The Aircraft are currently being utilized at the No1 Flying Training Wing at the SLAF Academy, China Bay for the ab initio training of newly enlisted pilots.
My memory takes me back to 1979, to a moment etched in time when a strikingly tall and impeccably dressed military officer, a Master in charge of Cadeting at Prince of Wales College commanding a guard of honour presented to President J.R. Jayawardene by the cadets of 3CCC, consisted of Ananda, Nalanda and Prince of Wales Cadet platoons at the Prince of Wales College grounds.
An American national, who had been staying in Sri Lanka for nearly ten months without a valid visa while using a Sinhala name under his American passport, was arrested by the Tourist Police of the Kandy.
Former Member of Parliament J.R.P. Suriyapperuma passed away today, January 2, 2025, at the age of 96.
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