The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka on Monday rejected social media claims regarding a SriLankan Airlines flight to Rome, describing the circulating information as false and misleading.
In a statement, the authority said several social media posts had made unfounded allegations involving the Civil Aviation Authority and its director general, adding that the claims were not based on verified facts.
The authority said SriLankan Airlines flight UL1213 departed for Rome on Monday to facilitate passengers who had already booked travel to Europe and other destinations and to assist Sri Lankan passengers and tourists in the region to return home.
According to the statement, the flight was arranged with full government intervention after considering difficulties faced by passengers due to the evolving situation in the Middle East.
The Civil Aviation Authority also rejected claims that the flight had been organized to bring back a government minister, saying the minister mentioned in social media posts had already returned to the country several days earlier.
The authority warned that legal action could be taken against individuals who continue to spread false information about the matter on social media. (Newswire)