'Green Ocean' ferries over 8,000 to safety

Dhaneshi YATAWARA

So far 19 batches of 8,106 people have reached the cleared areas ferried by the passenger vessel 'Green Ocean', Sri Lanka Navy said. This comprised 2,205 children, 3,216 women and 2,685 men including a number of patients requiring urgent medical care.

"Since more people continue to reach cleared areas we have decided to deploy an extra number of Navy personnel to carry out these humanitarian missions since it's of utmost importance to protect the civilians," SLN Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda told the `Sunday Observer'. The patients among the evacuees, upon disembarcation at Pulmoddai were provided with emergency medical treatment by the Navy doctors and rushed to the field hospital at Pulmoddai and relevant Government hospitals by the Naval personnel for further treatment.

A further 3,806 persons were rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy since the beginning of this year who were escaping from the 'no fire zone', Navy sources add.

In addition to their primary responsibilities in strengthening defences the SLN continues assisting the humanitarian work for the people escaping from the 'no fire zone'. With the LTTE cadres being pressured from all sides by the security forces on the ground, the Sri Lanka Navy confidently say that the defence in the seas off the 'no fire zone' is further strengthened preventing any possible attempts by the terrorists to escape at this crucial point.

Sri Lanka Navy continues carrying three lines of defence in the waters of these respective areas preventing the possibility of creating escaping points amidst the heavy resistance due to the rough sea conditions prevailing at present.