Opposition leader's helicopter makes emergency landing

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 May 2008, 18:00 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, opposition leader and the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), Monday was provided with a helicopter to attend election rally in Batticaloa district. However, the helicopter developed engine trouble on Wickremesinghe's return trip back to Colombo Monday evening, and landed at Mahiyangana in the south.

A substitute helicopter was sent to Mahiyangana to pick up stranded Ranil Wickremasinghe, UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake told the media in Colombo.

Last week the government refused helicopter facility to Ranil Wickremasinghe to address meetings in Trincomalee citing reasons including the two day official visit of the Iranian President.