Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel have saved 4 Indian fishermen from a distressed fishing boat in the seas off Chilaw.Upon receiving info from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo, a coordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operation was released by the SLN, leading to the successful rescue of the four Indian anglers on Sunday (06 ), the Navy stated in a statement.The MRCC Mumbai, India, had alerted Colombo about an Indian fishing boat that went missing without any interaction link on June 29, due to extreme weather condition conditions.Responding swiftly, the Navy deployed Fast Attack Craft from the Western Naval Command to perform the SAR operation.As a result, 4 Indian fishermen stranded off Chilaw after their boat experienced distress at sea were rescued.
The anglers were identified as citizens of Minicoy Island, India.They were safely brought to Dikkowita Harbour, where the Navy and Coast Guard provided necessary support.
Following initial medical checks, the fishermen were handed over to the Wattala Police Station for additional treatments, the Navy added.This marks the 2nd successful rescue of Indian anglers by the Navy in cooperation with MRCC Colombo within simply 2 weeks.
The objective highlights the operational preparedness and swift responsiveness of both the Navy and MRCC Colombo in conducting SAR operations.Moreover, the Navy stated it stays vigilant in helping distressed maritime and fishing neighborhoods within Sri Lankan waters, declaring its commitment to maritime safety and humanitarian efforts.