Boeing carrying 230 passengers from Netherlands arrives at Mattala

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya and Dileep Jayasekara - Suriyawewa   

The special aircraft, Boeing 767-300ER, carrying around 230 passengers from the Netherlands, arrived at the Mattala International Airport yesterday. 

Airport officials said that passengers who are the crew of a vessel anchored at the Galle harbour had been permitted to arrive at the airport for special humanitarian reasons.   

They were taken to the Galle harbour after being subjected to disinfection procedures at the airport.   The passengers from Spain, Indonesia, Malaysia and England have been subjected to PCR tests in the Netherlands.   
Meanwhile, another 53 persons on board the vessel were brought to the Mattala Airport to fly them to the Netherlands. They were scheduled to leave the country last night, airport officials said.   

Earlier, the Mattala International Airport has offered international airlines for aircraft parking services as thousands of aircraft are grounded worldwide, amid the Coronavirus crisis.