Thiruvananthapuram: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has evacuated over 300 Indian nationals stranded in Sri Lanka following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The evacuated passengers were flown from Colombo to Thiruvananthapuram, with the aircraft touching down at around 7:30 pm on Sunday.
IAF’s IL-76 and C-130J heavy-lift aircraft, which had earlier transported rescue supplies and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to Sri Lanka, were deployed for the evacuation effort. The operation forms part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, India’s ongoing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission supporting Sri Lanka amid severe natural calamities.
The Air Force has also been conducting multiple rescue missions within Sri Lanka. IAF helicopters have airlifted 57 Sri Lankan Army personnel from Diyathalawa Army Camp and Colombo to Kotmale a region in the central province completely cut off by road due to landslides.
In a hybrid rescue operation, Garud Commandos were first dropped near stranded civilians, guiding them to predetermined landing zones where helicopters could safely extract them. A total of 55 civilians including Indians, Sri Lankans and foreign nationals were rescued and transported to Colombo.
Operating round the clock, the two Indian helicopters have flown over 12 sorties so far, continuing their mission to assist affected communities as relief efforts intensify across the island nation.
