Sri Lanka Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel, Sagara brought the 70 persons, who had been stranded in the south western deep seas, safely to the Galle harbour on 04 th October 2013. The rescued persons included 44 men, 13 women and 13 children and they are all in good health.
The multi-day trawler named “Dinuja Putha”, which carried the people, had developed mechanical problems while in the sea between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The incident had been reported to the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) by a local fishing boat, having spotted the drifting vessel over-laden with passengers 215 nautical miles south west of Sri Lanka. The Navy, alerted by DFAR, took immediate action to initiate a rescue mission to save the people whose lives were in grave danger in deep sea.
They were handed over to the CID for further investigations.
[mappress] Press Release, October 07, 2013; Image: Sri Lanka Navy