Security Council discusses bomb threats to passenger aircraft

Raises concerns that such incidents could affect tourism in Sri Lanka  

By Sunil Jayasiri  

The National Security Council, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, yesterday discussed a series of bomb threats targeting Indian passenger aircraft and their potential impact on Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.  

Informed sources said that the ongoing threats could affect tourists from visiting the country, raising concerns about the future of the tourism sector.  

It was also revealed that bomb threats are typically received shortly after the aircraft enter Sri Lankan airspace. Given that the nearest airport is located at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, all affected aircraft are being diverted to BIA for security checking.  

In a recent incident, Sri Lankan law enforcement authorities had to respond to two aircraft which landed simultaneously after receiving bomb threats. However, authorities were able to manage the situation effectively with the available manpower.  

With this development, it was decided to deploy additional law enforcement personnel to enhance security measures and address such incidents more efficiently.  

Meanwhile, during a Cabinet media conference, Cabinet Spokesman Vijitha Herath said that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is conducting thorough investigations into the series of bomb threats affecting passenger aircraft.