Sri Lankans stranded in London

Colombo: Sri Lanka's cricket team was forced to make new travel plans after the airline that was to fly them home cancelled all flights to the country's capital because of Tamil Tiger rebel air raids, an official said yesterday.

The national team, runners-up in the cricket World Cup, is currently stranded in London and will arrive in Colombo on a Qatar Airways flight tomorrow morning, Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman Samantha Algama said. They earlier planned to fly by another airline.

Both Emirates and Cathay Pacific suspended all flights to the Sri Lankan capital after a rebel attack on Sunday on fuel facilities on the outskirts of the city.

Sunday's air raids took place while many Sri Lankans were watching their team play Australia in the World Cup finals on television. Australia beat Sri Lanka by 53 runs to win the tournament for a third consecutive time. Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996.

The cricket board has arranged a ceremony honouring the team when they return tomorrow, Algama said.
See also Page 65

UPDATE
Emirates to resume flights on Friday

Dubai: Emirates airline said it would resume service to Colombo this Friday, after halting service to the Sri Lankan capital following a Tiger rebel air attack on oil facilities on Sunday.

"Following a review of the situation in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, Emirates is to resume normal operations to and from the city from May 4, 2007," Emirates said in a statement posted on its website. "The first service on that date is flight EK348 which takes off from Dubai at 3:30 am, arriving in Colombo at 9:15 am, all times local." The island's only international airport diverted flights after rebel aircraft were spotted in its airspace.

- By Ivan Gale, Staff Reporter