The Navy, in coordination with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Colombo, towed ashore a non-motorised pleasure craft in distress, off the southern coast, on Thursday.
The pleasure craft ‘Little Donkey’ that belongs to a New Zealand national, was conducting marine research when a defect occurred in its pedal-based rowing system. After receiving a distress call, the craft, with crew members aboard, were safely towed to the Port of Hambantota, to fix the issue.
MRCC Colombo, established at the Navy Headquarters, remains alert and coordinates proceedings when responding to maritime distresses faced by naval and fishing communities in the Search and Rescue Region (SRR) of Sri Lanka.
The pleasure craft developed a defect in its pedal-based rowing system whilst crossing the Bay of Bengal from Thailand. The crew was collecting high quality microbiological samples for DNA analysis.
On the directive of Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, the Navy rushed a Fast Attack Craft P 483 of the 04th Fast Attack Flotilla in the Southern Naval Command to the sea area where the craft was in distress. Subsequently, P 483 set about towing the beleaguered craft with its two crew members to the Port of Hambantota for much-needed repairs.