Sri Lanka Navy rescues adrift fisherman

The Sri Lanka Navy has safely rescued a local fisherman who had spent more than 18 hours in the water after he fell overboard from his boat off the country’s southern coast.

The castaway was one of six crewmembers on the trawler Lakvidu 3, which sailed out of Galle on Friday, January 7.

The individual reportedly fell overboard and disappeared at around 13:30 local time on Saturday, January 8, while the trawler was some eight nautical miles off Tangalle.

The navy first learned of the fisherman’s disappearance after the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources requested the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Colombo to assist in the search effort.

The crew of a navy fast passenger craft found the fisherman clinging on to a buoy in seas about seven nautical miles south of Galle at 08:00 on Sunday, January 9. The survivor was subsequently given first aid by the responding navy personnel before being transported to shore and brought to hospital.