A Sri Lankan fisherman, who fell ill while at sea, was rescued and brought ashore last Saturday (27) following an urgent call for assistance from a Multi-day fishing boat operating in the Southern ocean. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Navy and with the help of a nearby merchant vessel, coordinated the successful rescue operation.
The fisherman, who was experiencing health issues, was promptly admitted to the General Hospital in Colombo for medical treatment upon reaching land.
The incident unfolded when a local multi-day fishing trawler (Reg No. IMUL – A-0768 CHW), carrying seven crew members, departed from the Vennappuwa Fisheries Harbour on 11 March for a fishing expedition. During the voyage, concerns arose about the well-being of one crew member onboard. The Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) alerted the MRCC Colombo, based at the Navy Headquarters, about the distressed crew member at sea, seeking the Navy’s assistance to facilitate his urgent transfer ashore for medical attention.
Upon receiving the distress call from MRCC, the nearby Merchant Vessel ‘Kmarin Azur’ was directed to the location of the fishing trawler to provide immediate assistance. The Merchant Vessel successfully retrieved the ailing fisherman and transported him to the Colombo Offshore Patrol Limit (OPL), administering initial first aid during the journey. In response, the Sri Lanka Navy swiftly dispatched a Fast Attack Craft (FAC) from the Western Naval Command to meet the Merchant Vessel at the OPL, facilitating the transfer of the fisherman ashore for urgent medical care.