Navy women make SLN naval diving history by successfully completing first ever Basic Diving Module for women

The first of its kind Basic Diving Module arranged for the lady officers and women sailors of the Sri Lanka Navy concluded on a successful note in Trincomalee recently. The certificate awarding for 03 participants who successfully completed the module was held under the patronage of the Commandant of Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA), Commodore Damian Fernando at the Diving School in the Naval Dockyard Trincomalee on 24^th September 2022.

The initiative was set in motion for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka Navy in July this year, as per an idea mooted by Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, allowing an opportunity for Navy women who are willing to engage in diving. Accordingly, 02 lady officers and 01 women sailor who met the physical fitness standards required for Basic Diving Module successfully completed the module, conducted for 20 days from 05^th to 24^th September at the Diving School in the Naval Dockyard. On successful completion of the Basic Diving Module, Lieutenant (S) Gayanka Satharasinghe, Sub Lieutenant (VNF) Nimasha Jayawickrama and Women Able Seaman (PTI) GDD Sakunthala marked their names in the history of diving in Sri Lanka Navy, as women who achieved this significant feat for the first time.

Commenced in 1962, the Diving Unit of the Sri Lanka Navy established its Diving School at the Naval Dockyard, Trincomalee in 1988, with the aim of providing formal diving training to Navy divers. The Navy Diving Unit undertakes a wide range of underwater activities such as; underwater inspection, maintenance and repair of naval vessels, salvage work, clearance and underwater demolition, underwater surveying, lifesaving and rescue as well as diving assistance of non-naval nature to public and private organisations.

It is expected to deploy the first group of Navy women who have completed the Basic Diving Module for diving operations as needed, based on the diving expertise they will acquire in the future.