Flight stopped at Mattala after bird collides with plane

A flight from Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake to Dubai via Mattala had to be stopped at 7.11 am today (02), after a bird collided with the plane close to the Mattala Airport.

The Fly Dubai FZ 551 flight with 113 passengers was due to take 55 passengers to Dubai from Mattala Airport when the collision took place today morning.

According to sources, the bird had collided directly with the plane’s left engine.

However, 20 passengers from Dubai have deported from Mattala Airport, reports claim.

The plane which collided with the bird is currently lying at the Mattala Airport.

Meanwhile, the 113 passengers from BIA Katunayake and 55 passengers from Mattala who are scheduled to fly to Dubai, are currently at the Mattala Airport.

The passengers are severely inconvenienced due to lack of facilities in the airport, it is reported.

In response, an official from Mattala airport said after the bird collision, the plane would not fly without an airplane check and that an engineer has been called from Katunayake Airport.

However, a passenger stated that they were kept waiting in Mattala Airport for more than six hours, and the airport authorities have failed to bring an engineer since morning.