A SriLankan Airlines Airbus plane which took off for Shanghai this afternoon retuned to Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport due to a technical failure.

UL 866 took off from Katunayake to Shanghai at 2.10pm and returned to Katunayake at 4.50pm, Asian Mirror reported at Katunayake said.

There were 166 passengers and 16 crew members on the plane.

An alternative airplane took off from Katunayake to Shanghai at 5.50pm.

This comes just days after a Dhaka bound Mihin Lanka airplane was also forced to return due to technical failure.