Passengers in Chennai – Colombo Flight Searched on Suspicion of Presence of Pahalgam Terrorists
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 3: A massive search operation was undertaken at the Colombo airport this noon after a tip-off from India that six suspects believed to be involved in the Pahalgam terror attack might be aboard the flight from Chennai.
SriLankan Airlines said flight UL122 was subjected to a comprehensive security search upon arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport at 11:59 am. Indian authorities had alerted Sri Lanka that six Pahalgam suspects were on-board the flight, said a police spokesperson. “The suspects are believed to have taken a SriLankan Airlines flight to Colombo,” he added.
Local reports suggest the Sri Lanka Police, Sri Lanka Air Force, and airport security units jointly carried out the search operation. But no suspect was found. The airline said it received an alert from the Chennai Area Control Centre. Upon its arrival in Colombo, the aircraft was thoroughly inspected and subsequently cleared for further operations, said SriLankan Airlines.
All passengers, including transit passengers, were thoroughly screened, and no one with the identity provided by Indian authorities was found, a top Sri Lankan official said. In a statement issued on Saturday Sri Lankan Airlines, the island’s national carrier, said flight UL 122, which arrived in Colombo from Chennai at 11:59 hours, was subjected to “a comprehensive security search” upon arrival.
“This was carried out in coordination with local authorities following an alert from the Chennai Area Control Centre regarding a suspect wanted in India who was believed to be on board,” the statement said, adding that the aircraft was “thoroughly inspected and subsequently cleared” for further operations. However, due to the mandatory security procedure, the next scheduled service—Flight UL308 to Singapore—was delayed.
“The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority, and we strive to ensure that the highest standards of safety are consistently maintained,” it added.
