Sri Lanka continuously maintains aviation safety standards - official

• Lessons to be learnt only after cause of air crash in India is established

Colombo, June 13 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka always maintains the highest possible standards of aviation safety in accordance with the guidelines stipulated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) which is a specialized United Nations agency which helps 193 countries to cooperate together and share their skies to their mutual benefit, an official said.

Director General of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Sagara Kotakadeniya told Daily Mirror it is a continuous practice to maintain the airworthiness standards despite air crashes elsewhere in the world on and off.

He said ICAO’s support and coordination has helped countries to diplomatically and technically realize a uniquely rapid and dependable network of global air mobility, connecting families, cultures, and businesses all over the world, and promoting sustainable growth and socio-economic prosperity wherever aircraft fly.

To ensure the safety and sustainability of aviation’s worldwide transformation and expansion, the ICAO has recently updated the Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) with new standards for communication, navigation, airport and heliport operations, and aeronautical meteorological services.

Mr. Kotakadeniya said Sri Lankan continuously maintains safety standard in the aviation sector and it is not because of any air crash elsewhere.

Asserting that it is too early to comment on the air crash in India that killed over 240 people, he said there would be lessons to be learnt once the cause of it is established.