Appointment of Hostage Negotiator - Team to be engaged hostage situation in Civil Aviation Situation

Appointing of well-trained hostage negotiators in a Sate, as a part of the crisis management team engaged in hostage taking situations such as aircraft hijacking (air piracy) is an internationally recognized norm that is in practice in all ICAO Member States.

This requirement is an essential element in respect of resolving civil aviation incidents relating to aircraft hi-jacking and holding the passengers and the crew as hostage. The two international conventions referred as Hague and Tokyo Conventions by which the international law has been formulated. Sri Lanka has ratified both Conventions.

This national requirement has been addressed at the National Civil Aviation Security Committee (NCASC) meetings since 2016 and it is becoming a reality today, with 09 senior Police Officers being appointed as the members of the Hostage Negotiator-Team to be engaged in civil aviation environment. These officers have undergone hostage negotiator course offered by the United Nation Mission, USA in the year 2006.

The appointment of 09 Senior Police Officers as the Members of the Hostage Negotiator – Team was held today the 16^thJuly at the Ministry of Defence.

Here the appointment letters were presented by Major General (Retd.) Kamal Gunarathna, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Chairman National Civil Aviation Security Committee.

Capt. Themiya  Abeywickrama, Director General of the  Civil Aviation Authority presented the Certificates of Acceptance to the appointees.

P A  Jayakantha, Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation (Aviation Security Regulation) together with Ajith Jayaekera, Consultant Aviation Security, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka too associated with this programme.