Sri Lanka signs deed with Australia for second patrol boat
Friday, 6 June 2014 00:41
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Australia Tuesday handed over the second of the two Bay Class patrol boats it gifted to Sri Lanka’s Navy to prevent people smuggling in the Indian Ocean.
Navy Commander Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage and Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Robyn Mudie on 3 June signed the deed to transfer the ownership of the vessel to Sri Lanka Navy at the Naval Headquarters.
The Navy Commander received the first Australian Bay Class patrol vessel at a ceremony held in Cairns, Australia on 29 March.
The first boat arrived at the Port of Colombo on 24 April and it was named P 350.
Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbot while in Sri Lanka to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting last November announced that two Bay class patrol boats will be given to Sri Lanka to boost the efforts by the Navy to prevent people smuggling in the Indian Ocean.
The fully-furbished Australian Bay-class patrol vessels are expected to substantially augment the Navy’s capacity as they can cover a large area of the Indian Ocean and serve Sri Lanka’s search and rescue area more effectively.
Director General of Operations Rear Admiral Neil Rosayro, Director Naval Project and Planning, Commodore Samantha Wimalathunge and Sue Knight of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service were also present on the occasion.
