Navy safely brings ashore fire-hit fishing trawler and its distressed fishermen

Having successfully doused a fire broke out aboard a multi-day fishing trawler off the southern coast, the Navy managed to safely bring ashore the fire-hit trawler and the fishermen aboard to Galle harbour today (07th November 2020).

A multi-day trawler named ‘Janath I’, (IMUL-A-0545-GLE) which had left the Ambalangoda fishing harbour, was returning ashore when a sudden fire broke out in its engine room in the seas off Koggala. Meanwhile, an Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) attached to the Southern Naval Command patrolling the area observed the fire on the multi-day trawler and it was pressed into action to contain the fire. Further, a Fast Attack Craft (FAC) was also rushed to the location from the Galle harbour to augment the fire extinguishing efforts.

Accordingly, the naval personnel of the Fast Attack Craft and Inshore Patrol Craft managed to successfully douse the fire. Further, no fisherman onboard the multi-day trawler was injured in the incident and the vessel along with the crew were brought safely to the Galle fishing harbour by the Navy.

In view of the prevailing COVD-19 concern, the Navy carried out this disaster relief operation adhering to safety and health guidelines. Meanwhile, the Navy continues to provide relief to the distressed naval and fishing communities in Sri Lanka's Maritime Search and Rescue Region and is ready to respond to any such emergencies in the future as well.