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Rediscovering Grumman TBF Avenger in deep waters of colombo

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1 year ago

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Cross section of the broken port wing

The re-discovery, identification and documentation of Grumman TBF Avenger’s wreck, lying off the coast of Bambalapitiya, by underwater explorers- Dharshana Jayawardena, Keerthi Karunaratne and Manjula Wijeyaratne, is a significant addition to our rich underwater heritage

BY RANDIMA ATTYGALLE

On a tip off by a fisherman in Dehiwala, tech-diver and underwater explorer Dharshana Jayawardena and two of his fellow divers – Keerthi Karunaratne, and Manjula Wijeyaratne arrived at a ‘mystery air crash site’ off the coast of Bambalapitiya early this year. Although they had doubts about the find, to their amazement, the three divers were greeted by a sunken aircraft in a very bad shape with only the wing box area, the starboard wing, what was left of the tail fin structure, the engine and the propeller. The air crash debris was lying 32 meters deep.

The search begins

The site characteristics matched the air crash site dived and described by pioneer divers such as Darrel Fryer and David Classz in the 1990s and Dharshana and his colleagues were confident that theirs was a rediscovery of the same site. “It was not easy to measure what was left of the craft as some its features were not particularly evident. But we gathered that radial engine had 14 cylinders and the approximate length from the leading edge of wing centerline to the presumed location of the tail to be 31 ft and 10 inches. Height of the aircraft however, was not measurable. Therefore, based on our measurements and observations we had to search for the candidate aircraft,” remarked Dharshana Jayawardena.

In their search for a matching aircraft, the trio also used Michael Tomlinson’s The Most Dangerous Moment as a reference to list out all the British and Japanese aircraft that participated and were lost in Ariel combat on April 5, 1942 or what is known as the ‘Easter Sunday attack of Ceylon’.

After eliminating some of the British and Japanese aircraft which were lost near Colombo during the World War II, the divers’ initial theory was that it was probably a Japanese VAL bomber lost during the attack. “The RAF (Royal Air Force) strategy during this battle was to focus more on the Japanese Aichi D3A VAL air-to-ground bombers rather than the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero air-to-air combat fighters to minimize the damage of strategic land and sea assets,” explains Jayawardena.

Possibility of an Avenger

Following the presentation of the explorers’ preliminary findings to the Sri Lanka Sub-Aqua Club and on suggestion by its founder member Dr. Malik Fernando, they reached out to David Classz who had supposedly dived to a sunken aircraft in the 1990s. The team was surprised the second time when Classz came up with a completely new aircraft to consider – American-made Grumman TBF Avenger. What was even more surprising was the absence of any reference to this type of an aircraft used in the account of the Easter Sunday attack in 1942 in Tomlinson’s book.

The Grumman TBF Avenger is an American World War II-era torpedo bomber developed for the US Navy and the Marine Corp. It entered service in 1942 and first saw action during the famous Battle of Midway. An interesting piece of trivia is that, the former American President George H.W. Bush, was an Avenger pilot and was shot down over the Pacific, an ordeal he survived unscathed before being rescued.

It was learnt that Classz together with Darrel Fryer and American diver Ulrich Earnst had dived the wreck of Grumman TBF Avenger in the 1990s when the aircraft was intact. “They had even got into the cockpit and Earnst had made an underwater video of the crash which was unfortunately lost with the passing of the diver. The dive team found out that some avengers (MKIII variants), had been used by RAF during the World War II and were sent to South India and Australia after the end of the war.

The dive team obtaining the measurements

Some were dumped in the sea when their lifespan was over although the locations of most of such ‘burial sites’ of avengers remain unknown. The naval air squadron 733 of the Royal Fleet arm which was based in Royal Navy Air Section of China Bay in Trincomalee also is reported to have operated Grumman Tarpon and Avenger MKIII aircraft.

The measurements of the aircraft at the crash site in Bambalapitiya matched those of the Grumman TBF Avenger with the Twin Cyclone engine. Specifically, a quite a unique engine characteristic, the width of the piston bore, was almost an exact match to that of the Avenger. Subsequently marine archaeologists from the US Naval History and Heritage Command, after an extensive analysis of the footage and photos provided by the dive team, confirmed that ‘these are likely the remains of a Grumman Avenger’.

It was communicated by the U.S. archaeologists that ‘in reviewing the video footage, the two pieces of evidence our subject matters experts were drawn to were the morphology of the port wing and the characteristics of the engine, both of which match nearly identically with that of an Avenger.’ However, they also note that there is still no sufficient information to suggest that the aircraft, though US-manufactured, was in the service of the U.S. Navy or another naval service at the time of the crash.

Underwater heritage

The wreck of the aircraft is in a very bad state of deterioration, says Jayawardena. It is suspected that the several parts of the aircraft have been illegally salvaged over the years. It is now a small artificial coral reef with several species of marine fish present. The dive team specifically observed a number of small groupers hiding within the wreck.

“The re-discovery, identification and documentation of this wreck is a significant addition to our rich underwater heritage. To date over 110 shipwrecks have been located around the shores of Sri Lanka and out of that, about ten are sunken aircraft,” says Jayawardena. A similar noteworthy underwater aircraft discovery made by Jayawardena was the discovery of a World War II RAF Squadron 321 (Dutch) Catalina Patrol Bomber off the shores of Passikudah in 2014. In addition, there are several other underwater remains of aircraft located in Katuneriya, Kalpitiya and the Trincomalee Harbour. “Unfortunately, most of these aircraft are in a very bad state of deterioration, otherwise they would have been a boon to Sri Lanka’s marine tourism,” concludes the underwater explorer.

(Photo credit: Manjula Wijeyaratne)


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Life style

Celebration of taste, culture and elegance

Published

6 days ago

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2025/12/7

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Ambassador Damiano, Jagatheeswaran, Barbara Troila and Ambassador of Vietnam, Trinh Thi Tam

Italian Cuisine Week

This year’s edition of Italian Cuisine Week in Sri Lanka unfolded with unmistakable charm, elegance and flavour as the Italian Embassy introduced a theme that captured the very soul of Italian social life ‘Apertivo and’ Stuzzichini’ This year’s celebration brought together diplomats, food lovers, chefs and Colombo’s society crowd for an evening filled with authenticity, refinement and the unmistakable charm of Italian hospitality.

Hosted at the Italian ambassador’s Residence in Colombo, the evening brought Italy’s golden hour ritual to life, embracing the warmth of Mediterranean hospitality and sophistication of Colombo social scene.

The ambience at the residence of the Italian Ambassador, effortlessly refined, evoked the timeless elegance of Milanese evening culture where ‘Apertivo’ is not just a drink , but a moment of pause, connection and pleasure. Guests were greeted with the aromas of apertivo classics and artisanal stuzzichini,curated specially for this edition. From rustic regional flavours to contemporary interpretations the embassy ‘s tables paid homage to Italy’s diverse culinary landscape.

, Italy’s small bites meant to tempt the palate before meal. Visiting Italian chefs worked alongside Colombo’s leading culinary teams to curate a menu that showcased regional authenticity though elegant bite sized creations. The Italian Ambassador of Italy in Sri Damiano Francovigh welcomed guests with heartfelt remarks on the significant of the theme, highlighting how “Apertivo”embodies the essence of Italy’s culinary identity, simple, social and rooted in tradition.

Sri Lanka’s participation in Italian Cuisine Week for ten consecutive years stands as a testament to the friendship between the two countries. This year focus on ‘Apertivo’ and ‘Stuzzichini’ added a fresh, dimension to that relationship, one that emphasised not only flavours, but shaped cultural values of hospitality, family and warmth. This year’s ‘Apertivo’ and “Stuzzichini’ theme brought a refreshing twist to Italian Cuisine Week. It reminded Sri Lankan guests t hat sometimes the most memorable culinary experiences come not from elaborate feasts but from the simplicity of serving small plates with good company.

Italian Cuisine Week 2025 in Sri Lanka may have showcased flavours, but more importantly it showcased connection and in the warm glow of Colombo’s evening Apertivo came alive not just as an Italian tradition.

(Pix by Dharmasena Wellipitiya)

By Zanita Careem

The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World is one of the longest-running thematic reviews promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Founded in 2016 to carry forward the themes of Expo Milano 2015—quality, sustainability, food

safety, territory, biodiversity, identity, and education—the event annually showcases the excellence and global reach of Italy’s food and wine sector.

Since its inauguration, the Week has been celebrated with over 10,000 events in more than 100 countries, ranging from tastings, show cooking and masterclasses to seminars, conferences, exhibitions and business events, with a major inaugural event hosted annually in Rome at the Farnesina, the HQ of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The 10th edition of the Italian Cuisine Week in the World.

In 2025, the Italian Cuisine Week in the World reaches its tenth edition.

The theme chosen for this anniversary is “Italian cuisine between culture, health and innovation.”

This edition highlights Italian cuisine as a mosaic of knowledge and values, where each tile reflects a story about the relationship with food.

The initiatives of the 10th Edition aim to:

promote understanding of Italian cuisine, also in the context of its candidacy for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage;

demonstrate how Italian cuisine represents a healthy, balanced, and sustainable food model, supporting the prevention of non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes;

emphasize the innovation and research that characterize every stage of the Italian food chain, from production to processing, packaging, distribution, consumption, reuse, and recycling

The following leading hotels in Colombo Amari Colombo, Cinnamon Life, ITC Ratnadipa and The Kingsbury join in the celebration by hosting Italian chefs throughout the Week.

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Life style

Ethical beauty takes centre stage

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6 days ago

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2025/12/7

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Body Shop team

The Body Shop marked a radiant new chapter in Sri Lanka with the opening of its boutique at One Galle Face Mall, an event that blended conscious beauty, festive sparkle and lifestyle elegance. British born and globally loved beauty brand celebrates ten successful years in Sri lanka with the launch of its new store at the One Galle Face Mall. The event carried an added touch of prestige as the British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick to Sri Lanka attended as the Guest of honour.

His participation elevated the event highlighting the brand’s global influence and underscored the strong UK- Sri Lanka connection behind the Body Shop’s global heritage and ethical values.

Chief guest British Ambassador Andrew Patrick at the Body Shop

Celebrating ten years of the Brand’s presence in the country, the launch became a true milestone in Colombo’s evolving beauty landscape.

Also present were the Body Shop Sri Lanka Director, Kosala Rohana Wickramasinghe, Shriti malhotra, Executive chairperson,Quest Retail.The Body shop South Asia and Vishal Chaturvedi , Chief Revenue Officer-The Body South Asia The boutique showcased the brand’s

complete range from refreshing Tea Tree skin care to the iconic body butters to hair care essentials each product enhancing the Body Shop’s values of cruelty ,fair trade formulation, fair trade ingredients and environmentally mindful packaging.

The store opening also unveiled the much anticipated festive season collection.

With its elegant atmosphere, engaging product experiences and the distinguished present of the British High Commissioner, it was an evening that blended glamour with conscience With its fresh inviting space at Colombo’ premier mall, the Body Shop begins a a new decade of inspiring Sri Lankan consumers to choose greener beauty.

 

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Life style

Ladies’ Night lights up Riyadh

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6 days ago

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2025/12/7

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Queens of grace

The Cultural Forum of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia brought back Ladies’ Night 2025 on November 7 at the Holiday Inn Al Qasr Hotel. After a hiatus of thirteen years, Riyadh shimmered once again as Ladies’ Night returned – an elegant celebration revived under the chairperson Manel Gamage and her team. The chief guest for the occasion was Azmiya Ameer Ajwad, spouse of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to K. S. A. There were other dignitaries too.

The show stopper was Lisara Fernando finalist from the voice Sri Lankan Seasons, wowed the crowd with her stunning performances. The excitement continued with a lively beauty pageant, where Ilham Shamara Azhar was crowned the beauty queen of the night. Thanks to a thrilling raffle draw, many lucky guests walked away with fabulous prizes, courtesy of generous sponsors.

The evening unfolded with a sense of renewal, empowerment and refined glamour drawing together the women for a night that was both historic and beautifully intimate. From dazzling couture to modern abayas, from soft light installation to curated entertainment, the night carried the unmistakable energy.

Once a cherished annual tradition, Ladies’ Night had long held a special space in Riyadh’s cultural calendar. But due to Covid this event was not held until this year in November. This year it started with a bang. After years Ladies’ Night returned bringing with a burst of colour, confidence and long-awaited camaraderie.

It became a symbol of renewal. This year began with a vibrant surge of energy. The decor blended soft elegance with modern modernity cascading its warm ambient lighting and shimmering accents that turned the venue into a chic, feminine oasis, curated by Shamila Abusally, Praveen Jayasinghe and Hasani Weerarathne setting the perfect atmosphere while compères Rashmi Fernando and Gayan Wijeratne kept the energy high and kept the guests on their toes making the night feel intimate yet grand.

Conversations flowed as freely as laughter. Women from different backgrounds, nationalities and professions came together united by an unspoken bond of joy and renewal. Ladies’ Night reflected a broader narrative of change. Riyadh today is confidently evolving and culturally dynamic.

The event celebrated was honouring traditions while empowering international flair.

As the night drew to a close, there was a shared sense that this event was only the beginning. The applause, the smiles, the sparkles in the air, all hinted at an event that is set to redeem its annual place with renewed purpose in the future. Manel Gamage and her team’s Ladies’ Night in Riyadh became more than a social occasion. It became an emblem of elegance, and reflected a vibrant new chapter of Saudi Arabia’s capital.

Thanks to Nihal Gamage and Nirone Disanayake, too, Ladies’ night proved to be more than event,it was a triumphant celebration of community, culture and an unstoppable spirit of Sr Lankan women in Riyadh

In every smile shared every dance step taken and every moment owned unapologetically Sr Lankan women in Riyadh continue to show unstoppable. Ladies’ Night is simply the spotlight that will shine forever .This night proved to be more than an event, it was a triumphant celebration of community, culture and the unstoppable spirit of Sri Lankan women in Riyadh.

In every smile shared, every dance steps taken and every moment owned unapologetically Sri Lankan women in Riyadh continue to show that their spirit is unstoppable. Ladies’ Night was simply the spotlight and the night closed on a note of pride!

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