International flights to Colombo diverted as rebels attack airport
[July 24, 2001]

Inbound flights to Colombo have been diverted to other airports following a rebel attack on Colombo’s International Airport and the adjoining Sri Lanka Air Force Air Base.

Sri Lankan Airlines announced that the following inbound flights have been diverted:

UL 679 from Sydney to Madras

UL 506 from London to Dubai

UL 266 from Riyadh to Madras

UL 556 from Berlin and Dubai to Trivandrum

UL 210 from Muscat and Abu Dhabi to Doha

UL 582 from Rome and Milan to Madras

All departures have been cancelled until further notice, the airline announced. All passengers and staff who were at the airport have been transferred to Hotels, the airline said.

A later release from the airline said that two aircraft, an Airbus A 340 and an A 340 have been destroyed in the attack. The undercarriage of another has been damaged. All three aircraft have been parked on the tarmac.

None of the airline’s passengers or staff has been injured in the attack. Passengers on the inbound flights are being accommodated at the airports to which they have been diverted until normalcy returns to the Bandaranaike International Airport. 

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Last Updated Date: December 16, 2003 .