COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lanka Navy safely brought ashore 25 Indonesian fishermen at the Port of Colombo on the evening of September 24, following a coordinated multinational maritime rescue operation launched after their fishing vessel capsized south of Sri Lanka.
The fishermen had been aboard the Indonesian fishing trawler KM Garuda Jaya VI, which reportedly capsized on September 22 in waters located within the Australian Search and Rescue Region. Following the incident, the crew members were reported to be in distress at sea.
In a significant rescue effort, the merchant vessel MV Moonstone located and rescued 25 survivors from the water before alerting the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo.
Responding to the distress notification, the Sri Lanka Navy, through the coordination of MRCC Colombo, deployed two naval craft to facilitate the transfer of the rescued fishermen from the merchant vessel and bring them safely to shore.
The Navy subsequently transported all 25 survivors to Colombo, where they were provided with humanitarian assistance and necessary support upon arrival.
Following the completion of the rescue operation, the fishermen were handed over to the Embassy of Indonesia in Sri Lanka for further assistance and onward arrangements.
