Ill person aboard foreign merchant vessel safely brought to Colombo harbour

Sri Lanka Navy rendered assistance to safely bring an ill seaman to the port of Colombo on 11^th April 2020. The person had fallen ill with an abdominal pain while onboard Maersk Avon container ship.

Maersk Avon is a merchant vessel owned by an Indian company. After the seaman onboard falling ill with an abdominal pain while at sea, the Feeder Agencies Lanka (Private) Limited, the local agent of the ship made a request from the International Shipping and Harbor Facility Security Office (ISPS) to get him disembarked in Sri Lanka for treatment. Accordingly, the 38-year-old Indian national named Mandekar Namit Siddappa was brought to the Colombo Harbor today.

The Navy's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Unit approached the vessel which was about 05 nautical miles off the Colombo harbour and brought the ill person ashore by following necessary guidelines declared by health experts. Subsequently, he was disinfected on the harbour premises itself before rushing the patient to Colombo National Hospital by ‘Suwasariya’ ambulance service. Sri Lanka Ports Authority and ‘Suwasariya’ ambulance service also extended their unvavering support to the Navy to execute this responsible task.