Sri Lanka Navy rescued 32 persons of Myanmar nationality whose damaged wooden vessel had began to sink in the deep seas 250 nautical miles east of Panama on 16th February 2013. All were brought to the Galle Harbour on February 17th and rushed to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital for treatment for acute dehydration.
The group, consisting of 31 adults and a boy, had been at sea without food for 21 days when SLN rescued them in a response to a request made by the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The rickety vessel, which had ventured on the dangerous journey two months ago, had been first sighted by a local fishing craft named “Sudu Baba 2” which had alerted the DFAR. SLN Offshore Patrol Vessel Sagara attached to the Southern Naval Command was directed to the location for the rescue mission accordingly. SLN medical personnel provided emergency medical treatment to the rescued that included four critically ill persons.
In a 20-hour SAR operation, Sri Lanka Navy rescued 138 persons of Bangladeshi and Myanmar nationality whose overcrowded wooden vessel had begun to sink as well in the seas 50 nautical miles east of Oluvil on 2nd February 2013. All were brought to the Oluvil Fisheries Harbour and 6 of them, 4 males and 2 females, were rushed to the Akkaraipattu Base Hospital for treatment for acute dehydration.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, February 18, 2013; Image: Sri Lanka Navy