Six members of Sri Lanka’s armed forces lost their lives after a military helicopter crashed into the Maduru Oya reservoir in central Sri Lanka, according to an Air Force official on Friday.
According to a Reuters report, the Bell 212 helicopter was carrying 12 military personnel when it went down during a grappling exercise connected to a passing-out parade. Despite being rescued and rushed to a hospital, six of the passengers succumbed to their injuries, confirmed Group Captain Eranda Geeganage, the Sri Lanka Air Force spokesperson.
Among the deceased were four special forces personnel and two Air Force gunmen. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, with Geeganage declining to provide further details on the incident.
