AccidentFriday, June 12, 2026

SriLankan Airlines Flight Returns to Colombo After Lightning Strike

TLDR

UL 606 to Sydney struck by lightning, returned to Colombo.
First engine hit; landed safely after ~40 mins departure.
217/207 passengers, 16 crew re-accommodated, >5 hr delay.
Airbus A330 inspected after safe landing at BIA.

SriLankan Airlines flight UL-606, an Airbus A330 en route to Sydney, Australia, returned to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) early on June 12th. The aircraft, carrying 217 passengers and 16 crew members, was reportedly struck by lightning shortly after its 1:00 a.m. departure. As a safety precaution, pilots diverted the flight back to Colombo, where it landed safely without any injuries. The aircraft is now undergoing inspection by the Civil Aviation Authority, and passengers were accommodated on a subsequent flight, experiencing a delay of over five hours.

2 Updates

Update #3\u00b7 Jun 12 · 7:49 AM

Flight UL 606 bound for Sydney returned to Bandaranaike International Airport after its first engine was struck by lightning approximately 40 minutes after departure (previously reported as around 45 minutes). The aircraft, an Airbus A330, departed at 01:00 AM. The flight carried 217 passengers according to one report, while another confirmed 207 passengers and 16 crew members on board. The aircraft landed safely and passengers were re-accommodated.

Update #2\u00b7 Jun 12 · 4:46 AM

Flight UL 606 bound for Sydney returned to Bandaranaike International Airport late last night after its first engine was struck by lightning approximately 45 minutes after departure while in Sri Lankan airspace. The aircraft, carrying around 207 passengers, landed safely. As a precautionary measure, passengers were re-accommodated on another aircraft and flown to Australia, causing a delay of more than five hours. The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the safe landing.

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