The Sri Lanka Navy rescued 14 crew members from the merchant vessel MV Integrity Star, which was stranded about 100 nautical miles south of Sri Lanka due to a main engine failure.

The vessel had lost power and was drifting, leaving its crew in a difficult situation. After receiving the distress alert, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Colombo, acting under the directives of the Ministry of Defence, deployed the naval ship SLNS Samudura to carry out a search and rescue operation.

The Navy successfully located the disabled vessel and rescued all 14 crew members, comprising nationals of India, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. The rescued seafarers were brought safely to the Port of Hambantota on the morning of 26 October.

Another merchant vessel, MV Morning Glory, which was nearby, was also ready to provide assistance, showing effective international cooperation during the emergency.

The Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre in Colombo, operating from Navy Headquarters, leads Sri Lanka’s efforts to ensure safety at sea. The Centre handles rescue operations within Sri Lanka’s search and rescue region and in nearby international waters.

SLNS Samudura (P621) is an Offshore Patrol Vessel operated by the Sri Lanka Navy. The vessel was originally built and commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1968 as the medium-endurance cutter USCGC Courageous.

After decades of service with the U.S. Coast Guard, it was transferred to Sri Lanka under a defence cooperation arrangement and officially commissioned into the Sri Lanka Navy fleet on 19 February 2005.

Since then, SLNS Samudura has been actively involved in maritime surveillance, anti-smuggling operations, and search and rescue missions in Sri Lankan and international waters.

Reference: Sri Lanka Navy