Avro 748 crash, Sep 7, 1978, Colombo-Ratmalana Western Pr...
Avro 748 accident on September 7, 1978 near Colombo-Ratmalana Western Province, Sri Lanka with no fatalities. Cause: A bomb placed aboard the aircraft...
- Date: September 7, 1978
- Aircraft: Avro 748
- Location: Colombo-Ratmalana Western Province, Sri Lanka
- Fatalities: 0
- Phase of flight: Parked
- Cause: A bomb placed aboard the aircraft by members of an early militant movement that later became the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Two men who had flown on an earlier flight were later arrested and sentenced.
On 7 September 1978 a bomb exploded aboard Air Ceylon Avro 748 4R-ACJ while it was parked at Ratmalana Airport, Colombo. The two pilots and a cleaner escaped unhurt, but the aircraft was destroyed by fire. The delayed departure of the crew is credited with preventing a bomb detonation in mid-air.