Wife of Deceased Captain Siyambalapitiya Testifies in Court

 Regarding the death of her husband, who departed for an aerial relief mission for people affected by adverse weather and tragically lost his life in a helicopter accident during the operation, Mrs. Buddhika Lakmini Gunaratne, an accountant and wife of the deceased Chief Pilot Group Captain Nirmal Siyambalapitiya, gave testimony yesterday (11) before the Marawila Magistrate's Court.

During this magisterial inquiry held before Marawila Magistrate Dinindu Samarasinghe, she stated that her husband had left for the Katunayake camp on the 27th of last month, and on the 30th, the day of the accident, he called her around 2:00 PM to say he was departing for relief operations.

She further stated that she learned about the sudden accident around 6:00 PM that evening, and later identified the body at Marawila Base Hospital. The post-mortem examination was conducted at Negombo Hospital, and the body was interred at the Galle Face General Cemetery.

Corporal K.A. Dinindu Chamara Jayawardena, who served as the gunner on the Sri Lanka Air Force Bell 212 helicopter at the time of the accident, also described the incident before the court. He stated that the aircraft, piloted by Group Captain Nirmal Siyambalapitiya and co-piloted by Flight Lieutenant Eranga Chamara Ekanayake, departed from Katunayake around 5:00 PM on the 30th of last month and reached the vicinity of the Gin Oya Bridge in Wennappuwa. Although people on the bridge were waving and asking for help, he mentioned that the aircraft could not land due to the large crowd gathered and the presence of a high-voltage power line system.

The witness further explained that while the pilot was attempting to land the aircraft in a suitable location, a technical malfunction was observed,

Despite this, efforts were made to release the food parcels needed by the people. He stated that as the aircraft was being turned for a safe landing, it suddenly crashed into the Gin Oya. At that moment, he and the rest of the crew immediately acted, cut the seatbelts of the chief pilot who was submerged, and brought him ashore by boat. It was revealed during the testimony that although he was later admitted to Marawila Hospital by ambulance, he had already passed away.

These investigations are being conducted by Sub-Inspector B.D. Siriwardena, the OIC of the Criminal Investigation Division, under the supervision of Wennappuwa Headquarters Police Inspector Thilina Hettiarachchi, and on the instructions of Chilaw Senior Superintendent of Police Rohan Perera and Assistant Superintendent of Police Asela Puwansha.