Keheliya defends son’s mid-air fiasco but ready to accept inquiry verdict

Friday, 5 July 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Uditha Jayasinghe Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday took the field to defend his son but insisted that he would accept the determination of the inquiry committee appointed to probe the high flying incident. Hinting that the international media report was unethical Rambukwella responding to questions at the Cabinet media briefing noted that the allegation of his son being drunk stemmed from one comment made to the Dailymail newspaper, which was then picked up by all the other news organisations. “There are two ways that I can respond to these questions. One as a father and the other as a minister. As a father I stand ready to accept the decision taken by the disciplinary committee of Sri Lanka cricket. But I have noted that British Airways has described the incident as “insignificant” and have accepted the apology that was given by my son after he realised his mistake.” The minister acknowledged that he had spoken to his son on his return to the island but refused to divulge the discussion as he did not want to influence the inquiry panel that has been appointed by Sri Lanka Cricket. He also ruled out taking any legal action against anyone involved in the incident and stressed that it was being blown out of proportion because of his position as a public figure. Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesday stated that an inquiry would be held into an incident where Rambukwella’s son had attempted to open an aircraft cabin door while it was 35 000 feet up in the air. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement that they are “disappointed” and will discuss the matter with the Manager of the Sri Lanka ‘A’ Team. The inquiry was ordered after international media reported that a drunken cricketer of the Sri Lanka A team caused panic on a packed British Airways (BA) passenger flight when he tried to open the cabin door at 35,000ft.

In his stupor he tugged away for up to two minutes at the exterior door before telling BA cabin crew on board the packed Boeing 777 that he had mistaken it for the toilet. The incident alarmed eye-witnesses among the 229 passengers on board flight BA 2158 as the Sri Lankan cricket team flew back high over the Atlantic Ocean from St Lucia to London Gatwick.