The Bell 212 helicopter of the Air Force that crashed Lunuwila while providing disaster relief, had to be landed in the Gin Oya due to a technical fault, Assistant Pilot, Flight Lieutenant Eranga Chamara Ekanayake, stated this.

Giving evidence during the magisterial inquiry into the incident, which took place before Marawila Magistrate Dinindu Samarasinghe, the assistant pilot said that after departing from Katunayake Airport, as the aircraft was flying over Wennappuwa, people on and around the Gin Oya bridge were waving their hands and asking for help.