Arrival of US Air Force Cargo planes mounts concerns of Top Secret visit

COLOMBO (News 1st); Two special US Air Force planes landed at the Katunayake Airport late on Tuesday (14) evening and left on Wednesday (15) afternoon.

News 1st contacted the US Embassy in Colombo for details on arrival of these planes, and those on board, and the mission said it has no comment regarding the inquiry. 

Sources at the Katunayake International Airport told News 1st that these two special US Air Force planes reached Sri Lankan from a US Military Base in Greece.

One aircraft landed in Sri Lanka at 6:58 PM on Tuesday (14), and the other landed at 7:10 PM the same night.

These aircraft were identified as C-17 Globe masters.

The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area.

It was reported that 29 personnel, including a high-level delegation from the United States of America arrived aboard these planes.

The Daily Mirror had reported that the delegation included US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Jedidiah Royal.

The two US Air Force planes left Sri Lanka on Wednesday (15) afternoon.