SriLankan crew who rescued 33 Lankans declines incentives

By Nimala Kodituwakku  

The SriLankan crew led by Chief Captain Chaminda de Soysa who volunteered to rescue the 33 Sri Lankans trapped in Wuhan after the deadly Coronavirus declined to accept the special incentive that was made available to them by the Company for their participation in the “Mercy Mission”.  

The crew insisted that the funds set apart for the payment of this incentive to be used to provide, Face Masks, Hand Gloves and other sanitary requirements of the SriLankan Airways ground staff who assisted the flying crew.  

It was Chaminda De Soysa and Sanjaya Anushka Jeewandara who functioned as the pilots of the Flight No UL 1423 which flew to Wuhan, assisted by assistant Pilots Shehan Senevirathne and Ravin Ranathunga. The others in the crew included Farhan Haniffa, Saminda Perera, Jennely Jansz, Kosan Anurudha, Danidu Dunusinghe, Dinuk Mannapperuma, Wasim Mohamed, Amali Pathirathnage, L.D.M. Pathberiya, Darshana Dissanayake, B.P.R.D. Pathiraja and Malisha Prasad.  

It was very significant that all members of the Sri Lankan crew who flew to Wuhan to rescue the 33 Sri Lankans who were trapped in Wuhan China as a result of this Virus, faced this dauntless task voluntarily.