MOSCOW, June 3. /TASS/. The flight of Aeroflot from Colombo to Moscow has been canceled due to lack of permit from the aviation authorities of Sri-Lanka, the Russian airline said in a statement. The airline’s Airbus 330 has been seized.

"The departure of Aeroflot flight SU-289 from Colombo to Moscow on June 2, 2022 was delayed and later canceled due to the lack of permit from the aviation authorities of Sri Lanka," the airline says.

A court hearing on lifting of seizure of the aircraft is scheduled for June 8, 2022. Passengers of the canceled flight have been accommodated in a hotel.

Earlier, it became known that a in Colombo (Sri Lanka) ruled to postpone the departure of the Aeroflot airliner, which did not receive permission to take off on Thursday, until June 16. The decision was made following a complaint filed by the leasing company Celestial Aviation Trading Limited from Ireland.

The Aeroflot fleet has 12 Airbus A330 aircraft. In May, the company bought eight aircraft from foreign lessors.

In early April, the European Union adopted an amendment to anti-Russian sanctions, which allows leasing companies to sell aircraft located in Russia to local airlines. This measure will allow European governments to let organizations accept payments from Russian companies that have received aircraft on financial lease under agreements concluded before February 26. Ownership of the aircraft can be transferred after completion of all lease payments.