SriLankan Airlines Flight Diverts Back to Colombo After Lightning Strike
Flight Encounter with Lightning Forces Return
A SriLankan Airlines flight, which was traveling from Colombo to Sydney, had to turn back on Friday after experiencing a lightning strike during its journey. The aircraft, which was carrying 207 passengers along with 16 crew members, took off from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at 12:05 AM but soon encountered severe weather conditions.
Reports from local media, including the Daily Mirror – Sri Lanka, indicated that passengers heard a loud noise following the lightning strike and noticed sparks or flames from one of the engines. Fortunately, the crew acted swiftly to manage the situation. A video circulating on social media captured the sparks near the aircraft while it was in flight, before it safely returned to Colombo.
SriLankan Airlines UL606 Returns to Colombo After Reported Lightning StrikeCourtesy: @asantha_azhb#SriLankanAirlines #UL606 #AviationNews #ColomboAirport pic.twitter.com/0vlQnSZ2xd
— DailyMirror (@Dailymirror_SL) June 13, 2026
The pilots later informed the passengers that the lightning strike had caused minor damage to one of the engines. Consequently, the decision was made to abort the flight to Sydney and return to Colombo. An airline representative confirmed that the flight was redirected due to an operational incident amid adverse weather conditions. Fortunately, the aircraft landed safely at Bandaranaike International Airport, and there were no reported injuries among passengers or crew.