Incident Overview
Date: Thursday 7 September 1978
Aircraft Type: Hawker Siddeley HS-748-212 Srs. 2
Owner/operator: Air Ceylon
Registration Number: 4R-ACJ
Location: Colombo-Ratmalana Airport (RML/VCCC) –
ÿ Sri Lanka
Phase of Flight: Standing
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Component Affected: FuselageFuselage
Category: Unlawful Interference
A loud explosion occurred in the mid-section of the fuselage during pre-departure checks, resulting in a fire. The aircraft was subsequently ferried to Katunayake Airport to transport passengers for a Maldives flight. The incident was linked to claims by the Liberation Tigers, with speculation pointing to extremist Sinhalese involvement and potential attempts to incite persecution against Tamils. Reports indicate two youths remained on board after landing, and they are believed to be responsible for the explosion, having subsequently deboarded.A loud explosion occurred in the mid-section of the fuselage during pre-departure checks, resulting in a fire. The aircraft was subsequently ferried to Katunayake Airport to transport passengers for a Maldives flight. The incident was linked to claims by the Liberation Tigers, with speculation pointing to extremist Sinhalese involvement and potential attempts to incite persecution against Tamils. Reports indicate two youths remained on board after landing, and they are believed to be responsible for the explosion, having subsequently deboarded.
Description
The pilot and first officer were carrying out pre-departure checks when loud explosion in the mid-section of the fuselage caused a fire. The aircraft was to be ferried to nearby Katunayake Airport to pick up passengers for a flight to Maldives. Liberation Tigers claimed responsibility for explosion. However, there was also speculation that extremist Sinhalese may have planted bomb and were endeavouring to implicate Tamils to incite persecution by government authorities. It was thought that the bomb was planted by two youths who remained on board the aircraft after it landed from Jaffna, debarking after flight attendants and all other passengers. They were reportedly sitting in area where bomb later exploded.
Source of Information
https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978COLOMB04083_d.htmlhttps://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978COLOMB04083_d.htmlPrimary Cause
Explosion caused by a fire during pre-departure checks.Explosion caused by a fire during pre-departure checks.Share on:
