Rescue operations continue to locate a Sri Lankan Navy officer missing since August 15, when a Navy Dvora vessel encountered an accident off the Moratuwa coast. Eleven of twelve personnel aboard were rescued.
Search and rescue efforts have extended into their fourth consecutive day as authorities work to locate a Sri Lanka Navy officer who disappeared following an accident involving a Navy Dvora vessel off the Angulana coast near Moratuwa. The incident occurred around 11:40 a.m. on August 15, approximately three nautical miles from shore, while the vessel was completing its return journey to Colombo after a patrol mission.
Coordinated rescue operations involving the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Angulana Police, and local fishing communities resulted in the successful rescue of 11 personnel from the 12 aboard the vessel. The Navy and Air Force have since mobilized specialized resources to locate the missing officer, recover the vessel, and investigate the circumstances of the accident.
Divers from the Navy successfully salvaged the distressed vessel following intensive salvage operations that commenced on August 16. According to preliminary accounts from rescued personnel, the vessel may have made contact with a submerged wreck in the area, though the Navy indicated this remains one of several possibilities under investigation. A panel of experts has been appointed to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the incident.
The 11 rescued naval personnel are currently receiving medical care and remain in stable condition. The investigation into the exact cause of the accident and the circumstances surrounding the officer's disappearance continues.
