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SriLankan aircraft stuck in Malé after pilot tests positive

23 Apr 2021

  • Recovery aircraft also suffers collision at Airport

BY Hiranyada Dewasiri and Aazam Ameen   A SriLankan Airlines aircraft has been stranded at the Velana International Airport in Malé after its pilot tested positive for Covid-19 in a routine polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which rendered him unable to fly the craft back, The Morning learnt. To add to the troubles, the recovery flight UL116 - SriLankan Airlines Airbus A320 Neo aircraft, bearing registration number 4R-ANB, that had been sent to retrieve the above aircraft had also been stranded at the Velana International Airport on 21 April when a ground support vehicle (passenger steps) collided with its stabiliser (tail section). When contacted by The Morning yesterday (22), SriLankan Airlines management confirmed that UL116 was sent as a recovery flight for the one that was stranded following the pilot testing positive for Covid-19. However, at the time of going to print, there was no confirmation from the SriLankan Airlines as to whether the first flight had been retrieved. The SriLankan Airlines engineering team based at the Malé International Airport is currently working round the clock to replace the affected parts and to return the aircraft to service, said SriLankan Airlines yesterday afternoon, releasing a statement to the press. It further read that the damages sustained were minor. The A320 Neo was operating a flight as UL115, departing Colombo at 13:13 local time. It arrived in Malé after a flight time of one hour and nine minutes. The aircraft was scheduled to operate the return flight UL116, departing at 15:05. The aircraft involved in the accident was delivered to the SriLankan Airlines in May 2017 and is one of the four narrow body aircrafts currently active in the Airline’s fleet.  


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