The Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL), Captain Daminda Rabukwella, said on Thursday (8) that investigators remain at Gregory Lake examining the Cinnamon Air seaplane crash, while recovery efforts are being hampered by difficult underwater conditions.
He said the recovery of the seaplane is proving extremely challenging as the front section has sunk into mud at the bottom of the lake.
“At the moment, retrieving the seaplane from the water is extremely difficult because the front section is embedded in mud,” Captain Rabukwella said.
He added that relevant parties have sought the assistance of Master Divers (Pvt) Ltd. to help extract the seaplane from Gregory Lake.
Under the continuous guidance of the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, the Authority has appointed an Annex 13 committee to conduct a detailed investigation in line with international aviation standards.
Thanking all parties who assisted in the rescue operation—including defence personnel, members of the public, and those involved in boat rides and tourism activities at Gregory Lake—Captain Rabukwella said the remains of the seaplane will be transported to Colombo once recovery operations are completed. He added that after the investigation is finalized, authorities will inform the public of the findings.
The Cinnamon Air-operated Cessna 208 Caravan seaplane crashed into Gregory Lake in Nuwara Eliya while preparing to land on Wednesday (7). Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the crash. (NewsWire)
