Chopper on mission to ferry Italian delegation comes under LTTE attack
 

by Ranil Wijayapala

An Air Force helicopter on its way to pick up an Italian delegation led by Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Margherita Boniver who were on a official visit to Arugambe area came under LTTE attack yesterday afternoon, Air Force Spokesman Group Captain Ajantha de Silva told the Daily News.

Suspected LTTE cadres carried out the attack on the MI 17 helicopter of the Sri Lanka Air Force with small arms while it was about to land in the Arugambe area to ferry back the Italian delegation to Colombo, the spokesman added.

The Air Force helicopter was scheduled to pick them from the area at 3.30 pm. The incident took place while the helicopter was on this mission.

The body of the helicopter was slightly damaged from the bullets of the small arms used by the suspected LTTE cadres, the spokesman added.

However, the Chopper was taken back to the Uhana Air Force base in Ampara safely by the pilot.

The Air Force later made alternative arrangements to bring back the Italian delegation to Ampara and take them back to Colombo in another helicopter, the spokesman said.