Freak Accident

An Indonesian woman passenger was killed and six injured Sunday in a freak accident while disembarking from an SriLankan airlines aircraft at the island's only international airport, a spokesman said.



An Indonesian woman passenger was killed and six injured Sunday in a freak accident while disembarking from an SriLankan airlines aircraft at the island's only international airport, a spokesman said. The passengers were on vehicle-mounted stairway when an airport truck crashed into it, sending the victims flying, SriLankan airlines spokesman Chandana de Silva said.

"We rushed seven passengers to hospital where one of them, an Indonesian passport holder succumbed to her injuries," de Silva said.

He said among the wounded were two Indian nationals and one Australian passport holder.

The others were Sri Lankan nationals who were returning home from Singapore aboard flight UL316.

Police said the driver of the truck was arrested for further investigations.

Two weeks ago, a bomb scare forced a London-bound Sri Lankan airlines aircraft to return to base 40 minutes after take off, officials said.

Flight UL-501 was asked to turn back to the Bandaranaike international airport after