– Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL503, scheduled to depart from Colombo to London Heathrow at 12.55 p.m. today, was delayed after a suspected bird strike affected one of its engines during take-off.

The pilots rejected the take-off and taxied the aircraft back to the parking stand. All passengers and crew disembarked safely, the airline said.Sri Lankan Airlines has arranged a replacement aircraft and crew to operate the flight, with departure rescheduled for 4.30 p.m. today.The airline said the safety of passengers and crew remained its highest priority and that all necessary safety requirements would be met.Sri Lankan Airlines apologized to passengers for the inconvenience caused and thanked them for their patience and understanding while alternative arrangements were being made.