NewsGate Press Network

The Indian Air Force, in close coordination with Sri Lankan authorities, carried out major rescue and evacuation operations in the landslide-affected Kotmale region, which remains completely cut off by road.

Across the day’s missions, IAF helicopters evacuated a total of 45 stranded passengers, including 6 critical casualties and 4 infants, and brought them safely to Colombo.

These included 12 Indian nationals and over 30 foreign nationals from countries such as Germany, South Africa, Slovenia, the UK, Poland, Belarus, Iran, Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh, along with Sri Lankan citizens.

To reinforce ground relief efforts, the IAF also airlifted 57 Sri Lankan Army personnel into the affected area to support rescue and clearance operations.

The scale and speed of these missions underline India’s steadfast commitment to assisting Sri Lanka in its hour of need with the Indian Air Force delivering swift, coordinated and compassionate HADR support under challenging conditions.

Earlier reports suggested that about 400 Indian nationals stranded at the Colombo airport following the extreme weather conditions in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, were sent back home on Sunday.

Around 150 of them were sent back to Delhi aboard flight C130 while 250 of them were sent to Trivandrum on flight IL 76 from the Bandaranaike International Airport here, Sri Lankan officials said.

Both the aircraft had arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday carrying food and humanitarian aid for flash floods victims.