Mar1 2007 - Colombo - An air force training flight crashed in north-central Sri Lanka Thursday, killing the instructor and a student pilot, air force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva said.

He said that the accident had taken place in Anuradhapura, 180 kilometres north east of the capital on Thursday morning. The crash was believed to be accidental, but it was unknown whether the cause was a mechanical failure or pilot error.

The air force has been playing an important role in destroying Tamil rebel positions in the north and eastern parts of Sri Lanka in recent months.