Dec 4, 1974 air tragedy:

Reminisces of Virgin Hills crash

M Nelson Piyaratne, Kataragama group cor

R H Ranaweera, a building technician of Mohottigoda, Gonapola, possibly the only eye witness of the air crash at Seven Virgin Hills, Maskeliya, killing all 182 Haj pilgrims bound for Mecca and eight crew members on December 4, 1974, has prepared a picture of the plane crash for the benefit of anyone seeking details of the tragedy. He says at the time of the crash, he was 16-years and working in a bakery in Hapugastenna estate near the Seven Virgin Hills.

Ranweera said: “I can give details of this air crash as the first one who saw it to help friends and relations of victims. A piece of metal said to be a gear lever of the plane is still with me carefully preserved in a glass frame prepared by me.”