Navy rushes to aid of 2 distressed fishermen off Mannar

The Sri Lanka Navy in the wee hours of today, 21 September 2026 rescued 2 fishermen after their one-day fishing trawler ran out of fuel and drifted off the northern coast of Mannar.

The search and rescue operation was coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) Colombo following an alert from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

The trawler (IDAY – A – 0126 JFN) had failed to return to the Gurunagar fisheries harbour in Jaffna after setting off on 19 September. Upon being alerted, MRCC Colombo instructed fisheries officials to inform local fishing boats operating in the vicinity and alerted the Northern and North Central Naval Commands to initiate a search operation.

A prompt search operation by the Navy led to locate the distressed fishing trawler drifting in the seas north of Talaimannar and naval personnel safely rescued the 2 crew members aboard. Also, the Navy towed the trawler back to Talaimannar and provided humanitarian aid and assistance to the rescued fishermen.

Meanwhile, the Navy remains ever alert to emergencies of this nature, affecting the fishing and naval communities, and promptly responds them in close coordination with MRCC Colombo.