Monday, 01 December 2025
Monday, 01 December 2025
India on Monday evacuated the last batch of its stranded nationals from Sri Lanka as New Delhi stepped up assistance to Colombo's rescue operations for victims of Cyclone Ditwah, officials said.
Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, 104 Indian passengers stranded at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo reached Thiruvananthapuram on an Indian Air Force aircraft at around 6.30 am, the Indian High Commission said in a social media post.
In a statement, the mission said India has intensified its support to Sri Lanka's rescue efforts and expanded operations across several affected regions.
Chetak helicopters from INS Vikrant airlifted several people to safer locations, while IAF helicopters carried out search missions in Kotmale, a central hill area that remains one of the worst hit with no road access due to landslides and flooding, it said.
“National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, India's specialised Disaster Response Agency for Search and Rescue and HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) activities, who arrived yesterday in Colombo, carried out rescue operations in Kochikade, working closely with Sri Lanka authorities," the release said.
NDRF teams are now working in Puttalam and Badulla areas, which are severely impacted and cut off, it said.
"NDRF assisted families affected by severe flooding and helped ensure their immediate safety,” it said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Air Force confirmed the death of a pilot after a Bell 212 helicopter crashed while attempting to deliver relief supplies in Wennappuwa on the north western coast.
The crash occurred as the pilot manoeuvred the chopper away from crowds on the ground and attempted a water landing to avoid civilian casualties. Five other Air Force personnel remain in critical condition.
In a separate statement, the Sri Lanka Navy said five sailors who went missing during rescue operations in Chundikulam in the northern province were found dead.
Sri Lanka continues to grapple with widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, leaving multiple districts isolated and overwhelming the country’s disaster response capacity.
As of Sunday, 334 people have been killed and 370 remain missing in catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather since 16 November.
