Defence Secretary Attends Resuming of Seaplane Operations at Beira Lake
October 03, 2025The resuming of seaplane operations at Colombo’s Beira Lake was held today (3 October), with the Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) attending the event at the Beira waterfront this morning.
Marking an important milestone in reviving the city’s historic water aerodrome to strengthen tourism and domestic aviation, a flight from Katunayake landed on Beira Lake, symbolizing a new chapter in Sri Lanka’s urban connectivity.
The event was held with presence of the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, Hon. Bimal Ratnayake. The Cinnamon Air aircraft, operated by Saffron Aviation (Pvt) Ltd., is set to link Colombo’s city centre with key destinations across the island.
Addressing the media, the Defence Secretary noted that the security concerns which had previously limited operations have now been resolved through the intervention of the Ministry of Defence, and assured that future air services can proceed without hindrance.
In June this year (2025), the Defence Secretary chaired a stakeholder discussion on the project at the Defence Ministry, where he underscored the importance of domestic aviation in advancing Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and emphasized the need for sustained collaboration to ensure the initiative’s success.
The event was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Hon. Janitha Kodithuwakku, Deputy Minister of Tourism Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe, Chairman of John Keells Holdings Mr. Krishan Balendra, along with senior Sri Lanka Air Force officers, officials from the civil aviation and tourism sectors and representatives of the operating company.
