Two SriLankan Airlines flights make unscheduled landings

Airline Industry Information, Oct 4, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

An engine problem forced a SriLankan Airlines aircraft to make an emergency landing in Bangalore, India late Monday (3 October).

A spokesperson for the airline said that there had been a "technical error in one of the engines" of the Airbus A320. The flight, which had been en route from the Sri Lankan capital Colombo to Muscat, Oman, landed safely in Bangalore.

The 101 passengers had to stay overnight at Bangalore's international airport and await another aircraft to fly them back to Colombo and then on to Muscat, because regulations do not permit flights from Bangalore to Muscat, reported The Associated Press.

Earlier on Monday another SriLankan Airlines aircraft flying from Colombo to London, England, was forced to turn back after a telephone caller said that there was a bomb on board.

A search was conducted but no explosives were found and the 257 passengers departed for London later in the evening.

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