SLNS Samudura in new role, 52 civilians rescued off Great Basses
With the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009, the Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) had been idling. During the 2006 and 2007 period they sank eight floating warehouses belonging to the LTTE to hasten the collapse of the organization.
Now, SLNS Samudura (formerly US Coast Guard Ship Courageous) has been deployed on a rescue mission, 225 nautical miles off Great Basses light house, South of Sri Lanka, on Sept 14, following a request by the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department.
Navy headquarters said that SLNS Samudura had been dispatched from Galle harbour soon after the plight of a group of Australia bound civilians -38 Tamils, nine Sinhalese and 5 Muslims- being stranded was brought to its notice.
Navy spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya yesterday told ‘The Island’ that the crew of trawler had abandoned the vessel after it developed engine trouble. Responding to a query, Commander Warnakulasuriya said that crew members had boarded another trawler and left leaving those seeking a better life in Australia, in the middle of nowhere after promising they would come back with necessary equipment to repair the vessel. The official said that of the rescued males, four were in a critical condition.
The multi-day vessel had left Chilaw on July 26 and soon ran into difficulties in rough seas. According to the navy, the crew of another trawler ‘Kivindi putha’ had spotted the vessel in distress and alerted the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department.
Commander Warnakulasuriya said that the rescued persons would be brought to the Galle harbour and handed over to the police. The official said that 2,083 would be immigrants had been arrested by the navy and handed over to the police so far this year.
Most of the arrests were made by Fast Attack Craft (FACs).
(Island)