‘Drunk’ Sri Lankan cricketer tried to open plane door at 35,000ft while looking for toilet, reports claim
Posted on July 2nd, 2013
Courtesy Metro UK
A ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”drunkenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Sri Lankan cricketer tried to open the cabin door of a British Airways plane flying at 10,700m (35,00 ft) after he mistook it for the toilet, reports claim.
Sri Lanka A opening batsman Ramith Rambukwella apparently sparked panic among 229 passengers onboard ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the St Lucia to London Gatwick flight as he tugged away at the door for two minutes.
BA crew and teammates rushed down the aisle and calmed the 21-year-old down as he realised his mistake.
A spokesman for the airline said it believed the cricketer ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”had been drinkingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and an investigation has been launched by Sri Lanka Cricket after the incident on the Boeing 777 on Monday morning.
The cricket board said it was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”disappointed to hear of the incident.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ It is awaiting the delivery of an official report into the incident by team manager Jayantha Seneviratne and said in a statement: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Disciplinary action will be taken against the player concerned if he is found guilty.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢
Eyewitnesses said Rambukwella left his seat and confused the cabin door for the toilet in the planeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s dim lighting.
Recruitment consultant Charlene Francis, 26, of London, who was travelling on the plane with one-year-old daughter TJ, told the Daily Mail: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Suddenly he came over and tried to open the cabin door several times. It went on for a few minutes. He was pulling quite heavily.
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”It was very scary. He looked very dazed or drunk. Some of his teammates were shouting and telling him to stop. He seemed quite disorientated.
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Somebody said the team had been drinking for four hours before they got on the plane,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ she added.
A BA spokesman said Rambukwella had apologised to passengers and cabin crew for his mistake ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”who accepted it in good faith.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢
He went to say: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”There was a minor incident onboard the BA2158 service from St Lucia to Gatwick involving a customer who we believe had been drinkingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢
He added: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”It is impossible to open an aircraft door when it is at high altitude and at no point was the aircraft in any danger.
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Our cabin crew are highly trained to deal with such incidents and offered re-assurance to customers who were sitting near to the door.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢
BA said it informed security on the ground but police were not called or involved in the incident.
The Sri Lanka A team was travelling back home, via England, after being defeated by the West Indies in a five-match one-day series.
July 2nd, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Boys will be Boys!
July 2nd, 2013 at 1:38 pm
I recall the father jumped off the 3rd floor balcony and now the son now tries to jump off a plane.
Is it in the blood or alcohol?
July 2nd, 2013 at 8:36 pm
Bloody idiot… I have seen a similar incident inside China air space.. Chinese guy was drunk and was trying to open the door, I was there and security guys tackle him to the floor. That was his first trip inside a plane.
July 2nd, 2013 at 10:26 pm
Indeed like father, like son !
They have something more in common…the father too is the opening batsman of his team !
Mario Perera
Kadawata
July 3rd, 2013 at 3:44 am
This LOSER should be sacked now.
No point keeping him in ANY team. He is a useless cricketer anyway.
July 3rd, 2013 at 6:30 am
the apple doesn’t “fall” far from the tree
Check out daddy dearest’s statement in the Daily Mirror website.
July 3rd, 2013 at 10:55 am
I wonder if Minister Rambukwella will sue British Airways for bad light!
As the Media spokesman he does have a habit of shooting himself in the foot.