Naval divers have recovered remains believed to be those of an officer who went missing following the August 15 incident involving Fast Attack Craft P 4447. The recovery marks the conclusion of a month-long search and recovery operation.
The Sri Lanka Navy confirmed on September 4 that remains suspected to belong to a missing naval officer have been recovered from the wreckage of Fast Attack Craft P 4447, which sank following a maritime incident on August 15. According to Navy statements, divers located the vessel at approximately 80 feet depth and successfully retrieved the remains once sea and underwater conditions became safe enough for specialized diving operations.
The recovery operation faced substantial technical challenges. Underwater visibility at the wreck site was severely limited, and the confined internal spaces of the sunken craft complicated the divers' work. The Navy noted that rough seas and hazardous underwater conditions had repeatedly hampered both the initial search for the missing officer and parallel efforts to locate and salvage the vessel, necessitating ongoing assessment of operational safety before each diving phase.
Following the August 15 incident, 11 personnel aboard were rescued with assistance from Angulana Police and local fishing communities. The Navy then conducted extensive search operations across coastal areas from Panadura through Colombo to Chilaw, coordinating with the Sri Lanka Air Force and deploying maritime and aerial resources. The recovery of the remains on September 4 marks the conclusion of this search and recovery phase. Identification procedures and postmortem examinations will now proceed according to established protocols.
An expert panel has been appointed to investigate the circumstances of the incident and determine what caused the loss of the craft and the officer's disappearance. Preliminary accounts from rescued personnel suggesting possible contact with a submerged wreck are among factors under examination, though the Navy stated that no definitive conclusions will be drawn until investigations are complete.