The seven-member investigation committee, appointed by the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, to determine the cause of the training aircraft crash in the Minuwangate area of Wariyapola on the 21st, has yet to submit its report. Air Force Media Spokesperson, Group Captain Eranda Geeganage, informed Mawrata that it is currently not possible to provide a definitive reason for the accident.
The Chinese-made K-8 training aircraft, which was introduced to Sri Lanka in 2005, was thoroughly inspected last year by engineers from the manufacturing company. Following their assessment, they confirmed that the aircraft was in good condition.
Captain Geeganage further stated that the relevant engineering teams conduct regular inspections and provide approval before deploying any aircraft for training purposes.
Meanwhile, Minister Bimal Ratnayake’s recent claim that the crash was due to pilot error has sparked discussions among defense officials, with differing opinions emerging on the matter.
Premalal Wijeratne
