A PT-6 trainer aircraft belonging to the No. 1 Flying Training Wing at SLAF Academy China Bay crashed today near the Janaranjana Tank in Sooriyapura, Kantale. The site is approximately 14 nautical miles away from SLAF Academy China Bay and the pilot of the aircraft was a trainee Officer Cadet who was on a solo training mission. The aircraft which took off from the China Bay airfield at around 1305 Hrs today had lost radio communication with the air traffic control tower at China Bay at approximately 1315 Hrs before being reported to have crashed. There was no damage to public property or any other persons due to the crash.

Further, on the instructions of the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana a Board of Investigation has been appointed to carry out an investigation into the incident.

An SLAF Bell 212 helicopter with medical and rescue personnel was deployed immediately to the crash site. Officer Cadet Amarakoon KRSVB who was the trainee pilot on this training flight was airlifted to the District General Hospital Trincomalee, where it was proclaimed that he had succumbed to injuries sustained during the crash.

Officer Cadet Amarakoon was a past pupil of Kegalle Maha Vidyalaya and had joined the Sri Lanka Air Force in January 2019. He had commenced his flying training in July of the same year.