The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has released further details regarding the two Air Force personnel who were killed in the tragic aircraft crash that took place this morning (07), at China Bay in Trincomalee.

The two victims of the accident are identified as the pilot of the aircraft, Wing Commander Tharindu Herath and the Engineering officer, Flying Officer Peshan Warnasooriya, according to the SLAF.

A PT-6 trainer aircraft belonging to the No. 1 Flying Training Wing at SLAF Academy China Bay crashed this morning (07 August) within the Academy premises. The incident had occurred at approximately 11.27 a.m., shortly after the aircraft had taken off from China Bay airfield at around 11.25 a.m., the statement said. 

Following the incident, on the instructions of the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, a Board of Investigation has been appointed to carry out an investigation into the incident. 

Moreover, the Commander of the Air Force had visited the crashed location to assess the situation, the Sri Lanka Air Force said.  

The SLAF said that Wing Commander Tharindu Herath was a past pupil of Maliyadeva Boys College, Kurunegala, who joined the Sri Lanka Air Force in 2006 as an Officer Cadet in the General Duties Pilot Branch to the Intake 49. 

Further, Flying Officer Peshan Warnasooriya, a past student of St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala, had joined the Sri Lanka Air Force in 2017 as an Officer Cadet in the 35th Intake at Kotelawala Defence University, in the Aeronautical and General Engineering Branch.