Six soldiers lost their lives on Friday when a military helicopter crashed during a demonstration flight in eastern Sri Lanka, according to the army. The aircraft went down for reasons still under investigation in a lake near Maduru Oya, approximately 300 kilometers east of the capital, Colombo, as reported by a military source.
Of the twelve soldiers on board, six were killed, while the remaining six suffered minor injuries, the source added. “An investigation has been initiated to determine the cause of the accident,” they noted.
This incident represents the deadliest crash for the Sri Lankan Air Force since January 2020, when a twin-engine transport plane went down, resulting in four fatalities. Additionally, in September 2000, a MI-17 military transport helicopter crashed in central Sri Lanka, claiming the lives of all 15 crew members and passengers on board.
