Cairo, Dec 12: A group of 167 Sri Lankans were today flown home to Colombo after Egyptian authorities detained them trying to head for Italy without visas, airport sources said. Egyptian authorities detained the Sri Lankans two weeks ago at the port of Suez after they suspected them of planning to emigrate illegally to Italy, the sources said.

Cairo contacted Italian authorities who asked for the group to be held in Egypt until they sent a plane, according to airport sources. The Sri Lankans were escorted onto the plane today by dozens of Italian securitymen. Bureau Report