Lankan Army plane crashes; trainer, instructor killed

Colombo, Mar 1 (UNI) A Chinese-built trainer aircraft of the Sri Lankan Air Force today crashed at Anuradhapura airfield killing the two personnel onboard.

''A Chinese-built PT-6 trainer aircraft of the Lankan Air Force crashed inside the Anuradhapura air base around 1215 hrs (local time) today. Both the trainer and the instructor have been killed in the crash,'' Air Force spokesman, Group Captain Ajantha Silva told UNI.

''Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Roshan Gunatillake has immediately appointed a top committee to investigate into the crash,'' he added.

The Lankan Air Force jets have been carrying out stepped up campaign against the LTTE, regularly pounding ''suspected LTTE targets'' in the Northern and Eastern region.

Meanwhile, the Israeli-built Kfir jets of the Sri Lankan Air Force pounded an ''identified LTTE training camp'' about 15 km west of Mankulam in the rebel-held Wanni region.

UNI