Inclement weather in Katunayake forces two aircraft from Melbourne, Male land at Mattala

Due to heavy rains and lightning in the area in and around Katunayake Airport last night, two passenger aircraft were diverted to Mattala International Airport, the Katunayake airport duty manager said.

Two SriLankan Airlines aircraft from Melbourne, Australia with 297 passengers on board and 15 crew members scheduled to land at the Katunayake Airport at 10.25 pm were diverted to Mattala and touched down there at 11.35 pm.

Meanwhile, another SriLankan Airlines from Male, the Maldives scheduled to land at the BIA yesterday at 10.55 pm was also diverted to Mattala International Airport where it touched down at 12.02 midnight.

Steps have been taken to transport the passengers and crew members to Katunayake Airport by bus.
      
In the meantime, the passengers and crew members of the aircraft that arrived from Male, have been requested to remain on board.

With the subsequent improvement to the weather conditions around Katunayake Airport, the second aircraft took off from Mattala and landed at Katunayake Airport at 1.51 am today, the airport officials further asserted. (T.K.G. Kapila)