Private helicopter pilot's licence suspended

The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) said today that it has suspended the license of the pilot who lost way to the Palali while carrying Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera in a private helicopter.

The pilot had reportedly lost way to the runway on Sunday while carrying the minister and had been airborne for over 45 minutes searching for the Palali runaway to land.

The Minister who had come to Palali to attend a Thai Pongal function had then  requested the support of the Air Force following the incident.

Minister Amaraweera had returned to Colombo on an SLAF routine flight yesterday morning from Palali.

CAASL Additional Director General Athula Jayawickrama told Daily Mirror that the Authority suspended the license of the pilot pending investigation.

He said the CAASL was conducting an investigation into the incident and would take a decision thereafter. (Darshana Sanjeewa)