Plane crash in Athurugiriya

At least four persons were reportedly killed and another hospitalized after a Russian made Antanov-32 (fixed wing) aircraft of Sri Lanka Air Force crashed into a rubber estate in Athurugiriya at around 6.30 am today, police said.

Sri Lanka Air Force said that they have lost contact with the Antanov-32 while flying from Katunayake to Ratmalana. An air force spokesman said that the pilot of the air craft had in his last message informed the air traffic controller that he was unable to see the runway due to the poor visibility. Civil Aviation Authority says poor visibility might have been the factor in the plane crash. One survivor was admitted to the General Hospital-Colombo with severe burn injuries.