25 March 2013, A SriLankan AirlinesAirbus A340-300 flight UL 114 aircraft travelling from Malé to Colombo via Hambantota had met with an accident while flying from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport to Katunayake. A few minutes after taking off from Mattala, a flock of birds had knocked on the front windscreen of the aircraft. The impact had damaged the windscreen. No passengers were injured. The Sri Lankan government and media affiliated to the Rajapakshe regime denied this and tried to hide this incident as it discredits their project.[16]