Navy’s hands full of mercy missions

Despite battling terrorism on one hand:

Sri Lanka Navy today has been engaged in a multitude of duties ranging from deep sea surveillance in the territorial waters, controlling activities in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Fast Attack Craft (FAC) operations, convoy and logistics movements, security of harbours, Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) operations, Special Boat Squadron (SBS) operations, land operations, prevention of illicit immigrants and smuggling, participation in ceremonial functions to providing humanitarian assistance to civilians during national calamities and disasters and rescuing of fishermen in distress.

Due to the commitment and dedication of all the Naval personnel the Sri Lanka Navy has been able to perform its multi-functional duty utilizing its resources to the maximum with equal commitment and dedication.

The Navy has shown true professionalism, be it fighting the enemy in a multitude of terrain under circumstances which would normally have tested even the most professional in the maritime warfare to the maximum or engaging in humanitarian missions amidst all odds when the enemy had poisoned the hearts and minds of the beneficiaries using the most despicable tactics.

Maintaining the sea line of communication between the North and East in order to support the Security Forces personnel as well the civilians in the Jaffna peninsula has been one of the Navy’s prime concerns. The efficiency of the Naval fleet is maintained at a very high level to carry out this primary task while ensuring the protection of the domestic and international shipping lanes and harbours in the country.

This has ensured the safety of the transportation of personnel and cargo in Sri Lankan territorial waters. The logistics supply, which is the vital life line for both the military and the civilian population in the North, is maintained uninterrupted by keeping the sea lines of communications to the Jaffna peninsula open denying the LTTE to achieve its sinister motives.

Thus, it would be all the more pertinent at this decisive juncture to draw attention to the humanitarian assistance rendered by the Sri Lanka Navy for the greater benefit of the humanity.

Over the years, Sri Lanka Navy has evolved into a naval force which is not only capable of fighting the most ruthless terrorist organisations in the world but also rendering humanitarian assistance for the people in need irrespective of where they originate from.

Hence, it must be understood that the Navy is not only engaged in fighting terrorism for the preservation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the motherland but also engaged in providing humanitarian assistance utilizing its assets and personnel to the maximum. Instances are many where the Navy has come to the assistance of both local and foreign citizens in distress incurring substantive costs and effort. The following incidents may provide some information on the humanitarian missions carried out by the Navy in this year so far:

Cyclone - affected boats

Navy carried out search and rescue operations on the July 22 in Negombo, Ahungalla, and Tangalle in order to search and extend a helping hand to the fishermen who had gone to the sea for fishing, during the cyclonic conditions which developed at sea off the Western and Southern coasts.

Naval troops located an abandoned fishing craft and it was later brought ashore by a Naval craft.

When the crew on board one of the ships out of four deployed for the task found the fishing craft in the sea off Negombo at about 0130 hrs on the 23rd July, the fishermen had managed come to the shore by another fishing craft.

However, the fishing craft that had been abandoned by the fishermen in fear of being sinking was bought ashore as it was the bread winner of theirs and of value.

Ferrying the sick

Sarath Fernando, a fisherman, gone for fishing on 20th July from Beruwala on a multi-day fishing craft named Sulara, who had fallen seriously ill due to a heart pain and suffered for a few days, was rescued by a Naval vessel about 90 nautical miles of Trincomalee on the 24th July.

On a request made by the persons concerned, a Naval vessel was directed to help the fisherman in anguish and brought to the Trincomalee harbour, and the patient was dispatched to the General Hospital Trincomalee.

Multi-day Fishing Trawler

Sri Lanka Navy rescued a multi-day fishing trawler which was in distress in the Eastern seas yesterday on 29th July.

The trawler, “Hiruni II”, had left the Trincomalee Harbour for fishing on the 4th July with a fishing crew of five. It had developed an engine failure 52 nautical miles off Pulmudai and had begun to take in water due to the leaky hull of the vessel.

The trawler had started to drift and the fishing crew on board was stranded in the sea for 13 days as a result. Subsequently, the Navy had been contacted for help.

The SLNS Sayura, the Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel, was accordingly dispatched on the rescue mission. The trawler in distress was sighted 85 nautical miles off the Foul Point in Trincomalee located in the East coast on the 28th.

Subsequently, the trawler with the fishing crew on board was towed to the Trincomalee Harbour on the 29th.

The ill-fated trawler belonged to NH Sugath of Swarnapala Mawatha, Devinuwara.

Rescues of injured fisherman

Sri Lanka Navy rescued an injured Sri Lankan fisherman 150 nautical miles North-East of Trincomalee on the 16th July and provided him with medical treatment.

The injured fisherman had left from Matara with his fellow crew members for fishing on board a multi-day fishing trawler. Their fishing trawler had begun to drift due to an engine failure in mid sea.

He had fallen overboard while attempting to repair the boat and got seriously injured when he got entangled in the propeller. The fellow crew members had managed to take him on board and had treated him with medicine available on board their vessel. However, his condition had worsened and the Navy was contacted for help.

The Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel, SLNS Samudra, was dispatched to rescue the seriously wounded fisherman. The navy medical personnel had provided him with the emergency medical treatment after taking him on board the SLNS Samudra.The patient, 18-year-old AMP Kasun Danushra of Belideniya, Kottegoda, was given medical treatment at the Navy Hospital in Trincomalee.

Flood relief

The Navy dispatched twenty seven (27) teams for flood relief activities in flood affected areas in the districts of Rathnapura, Galle, Kalutara and Gampaha since 31st May as soon as flood caused by the torrential rains started to devastate ordinary human lives.

The areas places to which the Naval flood relief teams sent were Neluwa, Thawalama, Udugama, Nagoda, Hiniduma, Niyagama, Baddegama and Divithura in the Galle district; Kalawana, Dehiowita and Awissawella in the Rathnapura district; Mathugama, Baduraliya, Moragasdeniya, Kukulegama, Anguruwathota, Millaniya, Kalutara City and Kalutara North in the Kalutara district; and Bandigoda (Ja-ela) and Kovinna (Katana) in the Gampaha District.

The Naval assistance and flood relief teams were rushed upon the request made by the Centre for Disaster Management.

The Naval teams specially trained for contingencies such as diving, underwater salvaging and rescuing were tasked to rescue and evacuate flood victims and to distribute food and drinking water.

A heart-rending experience some of the sailors had to face was that they had to evacuate three dead bodies, one at Baduraliya and two at Anguruwathota.

The Naval teams rescued approximately a thousand people (Nagoda 75, Neluwa 360, Thawalama 200, Udugama 352) in the Galle District. The sailors transferred a large number of displaced people marooned in the floods and engaged in providing food and drinking water.

Ill-fated Myanmar vessel

Sri Lanka Navy rescued on the 3rd March 2008 a vessel load of illegal foreign job seekers who had been marooned for 13 days at sea at a distance of 150 nautical miles off the Eastern coast of Sri Lanka.

The 71 survivors of the ill-fated Myanmar vessel were safely brought to the Trincomalee Port today morning around 6.30 a.m. Their condition is stable. The Navy had provided them with medical treatment and food.

Arrangements were made to hand them over to the respective embassies and diplomatic missions through the Foreign Ministry for repatriation upon the completion of the legal formalities. All the survivors of the 13-day sea ordeal, the 50 Myanmar nationals and 21 Bangladesh citizens, expressed their heart-felt gratitude to the Navy personnel who rescued them from the jaws of Death and saved them from the ignominy or meeting the same fate of their unfortunate 20 colleagues who were thrown in to the sea.

17 Myanmar nationals and 3 Bangladeshi citizens had died of starvation and dehydration due to the lack of food and water before the Navy came to their rescue.

The wooden hull power driven vessel of Myanmar origin measuring 15 metres with 91 persons on board had left from Cox’s Bazaar located on the Myanmar and Bangladesh border on the 9th February. The passengers comprised of 67 Myanmar nationals and 24 Bangladeshi citizens. They were being smuggled in to Thailand and Malaysia for lucrative employment.

The vessel had developed an engine defect on the 20th and begun to drift for 13 days until it was rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy.

Neighbours in distress

Sri Lanka Navy rescued three Tamil Nadu fishermen, whose fishing trawler had washed ashore south of Thalaimannar, on the 13th February 2008 around 6 a.m. They had left for fishing from Mandapam, which is located 15 nautical miles from Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu, India.

The Naval personnel of the Thalaimannar Naval Base, upon observing the ill-fated Indian trawler running a ground, had rushed assistance to the Indian fishermen who had suffered multiple fractures and injuries due to the ordeal at sea.

They were immediately taken to the sickbay of the Naval base and were attended to by a Naval doctor on duty. Having given them medical treatment, food and refreshment, the measures were taken with the assistance of the Thalaimannar Police to transfer the injured to the Mannar Government hospital for further medical treatment.

The Navy launched the search operation for the vessel after they had been alerted of a sighting of a suspicious vessel by the fishermen off Mullaitivu on the Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka.

The ill-fated vessel was towed to the Trincomalee Port by the Navy after providing food and medical treatment to the 71 passengers who were lucky enough to be alive after the 13-day ordeal at sea.

A fire broke out at the Allaksha Junction in Kalpitiya today afternoon around 12.30 p.m. Several shops were caught up in the ensuing blaze.

Sri Lanka Navy promptly dispatched fire assistance and stopped the fire from spreading. A 10-ton water bowser along with fire pumps and portable fire extinguishers were rushed to the location to douse the fire. The fire was quickly brought under control and extinguished by the SLNS Vijaya’s Damaged Control and Fire Fighting Team. The area was made safe after a subsequent clearing operation carried out by the Naval personnel.

Three shops were completely guttered in the fire which is suspected to have been triggered by an electric short circuit.

Due to the Navy’s prompt assistance, many lives were saved and damages to the adjacent buildings were prevented.The Navy today is in the process of increasing its strength in respect of manpower, ships and craft and equipment in order to take up the future challenges.

In 2009 Sri Lanka’s sea area is expected to increase to 21 times of the landmass of the country. The exploration of oil and gas in Sri Lanka shall require the assistance of the Navy. All Naval personnel are fully committed to maintain mission readiness, highest standards of duty and accomplishment of tasks.

The Sri Lanka Navy is committed to fulfil its multi-functional role of safeguarding the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and rendering humanitarian assistance for the greater benefit of the humanity with equal zeal.