The statement signed by director Vajira Kalinga says the leasing agreement was annulled on 29 August 2012, and that payments have been made on account of flying hours only.

The company that owns the airplane should pay the parking fees to the airport, it says.

Airplane was used for Afghan arms supply?

It was Sri Lanka Mirror that first revealed the airplane was not owned by Cosmos Aviation, but by a Tamil by the name Nathan.

It was brought to the country in 2000.

According to Cosmos director’s statement, it was a cargo airplane used to transport cargo to countries in the SAARC region.

According to aviation sources, it is not safe enough for use in long distance travel, and on several occasions, its engine had stalled in midair and the airplane had to be flown back to Katunayake.

Nathan had got hold of the airplane when it was left abandoned at an airport.

There is suspicion as to whether it had been used to transport weapons to Afghanistan prior to that.

Arjuna has a question

At a media briefing convened by aviation minister Arjuna Ranatunga, it was claimed the airplane belongs to Aero Lanka.

If it is owned locally, why isn’t there any mention of it in the list of the registered civil airplanes at the civil aviation authority?, aviation experts ask.

Link for the list in question, last updated on 01 July 2014: