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Navy rescues fishermen aboard distressed dinghy that drifted to Indian waters

Published

2 years ago

2021/03/1

The Navy together with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Colombo) stationed at Navy Headquarters rescued a group of fishermen aboard a dinghy that was swept away to the Indian waters due to an engine failure, on Saturday.

In response to a request for assistance by the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Sri Lanka Navy launched an operation to locate this dinghy (Register No. OFRP –A-950 MNR) that had gone missing on Feb 23.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Chennai was informed of the missing vessel by MRCC Colombo. As the search and rescue operation was going on, MRCC Chennai informed MRCC Colombo that an Indian Coast Guard ship had spotted the ill-fated vessel. Accordingly, an Indian Coast Guard Ship assisted the dinghy with fishermen to reach the IMBL, from which it was safely towed shoreward by Sri Lanka Naval Ship (SLNS) ‘Suranimila’ yesterday.

The search and rescue operation was carried out in conformity with health and safety guidelines in place due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, MRCC Colombo, thus far in the year 2021, has responded to distress calls of five merchant ships and 21 fishing vessels in the Search and Rescue Region of Sri Lanka.

MRCC Colombo has assisted the rescue of 25 fishermen whose lives were in danger at sea.

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Sagala Ratnayaka leads Sri Lanka delegation to 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue

Published

6 hours ago

2023/06/6

Priyan

Chief of Staff to the President and National Security Advisor (NSA) Sagala Ratnayaka led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier Security Summit held in Singapore from 2 – 4 June 2023.

The highly anticipated summit commenced on 2 June with a powerful Keynote address delivered by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Throughout the event, a series of plenary sessions delved into various crucial geo-political issues, encompassing the establishment of a stable and balanced Asia Pacific, the resolution of regional tensions, the evolution of maritime security in Asia, US leadership in the Indo-Pacific, and China’s latest security initiatives, among other topics.

During the Special Session focusing on ‘Defence Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region,’ Ratnayaka delivered an impactful statement, participating alongside representatives from India, Oman, France, and the United States. He emphasized the significance of keeping big power rivalries and external conflicts out of the Indian Ocean, highlighting Sri Lanka’s efforts in the United Nations to declare the region as a zone of peace. Furthermore, he underscored the country’s contributions to preserving freedom of navigation and over flight, stressing the crucial need for constructive dialogue among all stakeholders in the Indian Ocean region to pursue shared interests.

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Prices of sixty essential drugs to be reduced from 15th June

Published

10 hours ago

2023/06/6

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal raised by the Minister of Health to reduce the maximum retail price of 60 medicines by 16% with effect from 15.06.2023 and review the price of medicines every three months

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Cabinet approval to publish draft bill on contempt of a court, a tribunal or an institution

Published

11 hours ago

2023/06/6

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms for publishing the draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman which includes the clear and precise provisions and situational circumstances regarding the offense of ‘contempt of court’ , defense and easing the penalty as well as the procedure to follow when easing the penalty, in the government gazette and subsequently to be tabled in the Parliament for its concurrence.