Civilian flights suspended after plane crash
[31 Mar 2000]

Sri Lanka Air Force suspended civilian flights from Jaffna after a military transporter crashed yesterday near the northern town of Talava, 9km outside of Anuradhapura, killing all on board. 

The Russian-built Antonov AN-26 was transporting troops out of Jaffna when it crashed due to a technical fault occurring in one of the aircraft’s engines. It was owned by a private company chartered by the Air Force.  

At least three of the four crew on the AN-26, which crashed yesterday, were believed to be Russian nationals. 

The military action in suspending civilian flights comes on top of an order by civil aviation authorities grounding Antonov aircraft operated by local private air lines for regional cargo services. 

The ban was imposed following last week's crash of an Antonov AN-12 carrier near the Bandaranaike International Airport while returning from Bangkok with a cargo of clothing. 

Six crewman and three people on the ground were killed. Authorities have sought help from Russian experts to probe the cause of the crash. Five of the six crewmen killed were Russians.

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