By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

Four persons including a tourist couple were hospitalised after a commercial light aircraft (Cessna 172) of Sakurai Aviation had made an emergency landing in the Dagonna area, Kimbulapitiya yesterday afternoon, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) said.  

SLAF Spokesman Dushan Wijesinghe said a male and female pilot of the flight carrying a tourist couple from Ratmalana to Sigiriya had made an emergency landing due to a technical fault while flying back to Koggala.   

It was reported that the pilots had attempted an emergency landing of the flight at the Katunayake airport, but the flight landed in a paddy field in the Kimbulapitiya area.  

All four occupants of the plane were admitted to the Negombo Hospital with minor injuries.  
The SLAF had deployed a team to the location, after the landing, along with a fire brigade team.  

On December 22, a light training Aircraft belonging to the same Sakurai Aviation also made an emergency landing on a beach near Beruwala. 

• SLAF had deployed a team to the location, after the landing, along with a fire brigade team