In support of operations being carried out to rescue fishermen from the sea after their boats capsized due to the gale force winds experienced this morning, the Sri Lanka Air Force deployed a Y12 aircraft to search the coastal belt from Ratmalana to Balapitiya, one Bell 412 helicopter on a search and rescue mission along the coastal stretch from Ratmalana to Kollupitiya and one Bell 412 helicopter on a search and rescue mission to search for a boat with five persons on board in the vicinity of Beruwala.

The Bell 412 deployed along the coast from Ratmalana to Kollupitiya rescued two fishermen in two separate missions during the morning hours, landing at the Galle Face Green to transfer the recued fishermen.

The second Bell 412 deployed in Beruwela was able to locate the missing boat and rescued one fisherman from the boat which had capsized. This person who was classified as a P-1 casualty was airlifted to Nagoda hospital. The chopper was able to direct a  fishing vessel in the vicinity to rescue two of the other fishermen while two others were dragged to the shore by people in the vicinity with the help of ropes.

Through out the late morning and afternoon the SLAF flew search missions and though bouts of bad weather restricted missions at times the SLAF deployed another Bell 412 once again at night (at around 1900 hrs) and rescued NK Ananda, a fisherman from Balapitiya who was found clinging to a bouy off the coast of Induruwa. He was airlifted to SLAF Katukurunda and later transferred to the Nagoda hospital.

Crew                  -    Flight Sergeant Gomas,Flight Sergeant Chaminda, Corporal Danushka and Leading 
                                 Aircraftman Kumara