SriLankan Airlines flight with over 200 passengers struck by lightning

Airline says flight returned following an operational occurrence

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama   

A SriLankan Airlines flight, UL606, operating from Colombo to Sydney, was forced to turn back and land at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last morning (12) after encountering a lightning strike during the flight.   

According to reports, passengers heard a loud noise shortly after the incident, followed by a brief visible flame from one of the aircraft’s engines. The situation was quickly brought under control by the flight crew.   

Following the incident, the pilots informed passengers that the aircraft had been struck by lightning, resulting in minor damage to one of the engines. As a precautionary safety measure, the decision was made to return to Colombo rather than continue the journey to Sydney.   

The aircraft landed safely at BIA, with all 207 passengers and 16 crew members reported safe. The emergency was handled professionally by the pilots and cabin crew, ensuring the well-being of everyone on board.   

As of around 2:10 a.m., passengers were still on the aircraft while arrangements were underway to provide food and other necessary facilities pending further operational procedures.   

Meanwhile, in a statement, SriLankan Airlines said that Flight UL606 returned to Colombo following an operational occurrence encountered during adverse weather conditions and landed safely.   

The flight subsequently departed Colombo at 5:51 a.m. yesterday using a replacement aircraft and continued its journey to Sydney.   

SriLankan Airlines said that the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew remain its highest priority and that it will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the highest standards of safety throughout its operations.