Rat discovered on plane in Sri Lanka: plane grounded. Airline has since resumed flights, but the delay disrupted schedules, affecting other flights.
Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told reporters that the underground rat risked scaring off "the few investors" who were still interested. It is one of those state-owned enterprises considered a burden on the country's budget by the International Monetary Fund which bailed out Sri Lanka in 2023 with a loan of $2.9 billion over four years.