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The Mi-17 helicopters deployed by the Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka as part of ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ evacuated several stranded people from different countries.
The Indian Air Force rescued several stranded passengers in cyclone-hit Sri Lanka. (News18)
A Pakistani national was among several stranded passengers rescued by the Indian Air Force as New Delhi aided relief and rescue operations in Sri Lanka, which has been battered by Cyclone ‘Ditwah’.
The Mi-17 helicopters deployed by the Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka as part of ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ evacuated several stranded people, including citizens from Germany, South Africa, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.
In the second leg of the operation, a Pakistani national was among the citizens of Poland, Belarus, Iran, Australia and Bangladesh to be rescued by the Indian Army in Sri Lanka. Four infants were also among those to be rescued.
IAF helicopters undertook a hybrid rescue mission to extricate stranded passengers from a restricted zone. A Garud commando was winched down to guide the group through cross-country route to a pre-briefed helipad at Kotmale, from where 24 passengers — including Indians, foreign nationals and Sri Lankans — were evacuated to Colombo, as per the Air Force.
Three critical casualties were also airlifted to Colombo for immediate medical attention. Earlier, five teams of Sri Lankan Army personnel (40 troops) were airlifted from Diyathalawa Army Camp to the landslide-affected Kotmale region to support relief operations. At least 400 Indian nationals stranded at the Colombo airport following the extreme weather conditions were sent back home today.
Together in times of need.As part of India’s ongoing #OperationSagarBandhuthe Mi-17 helicopters of @IAF_MCC evacuated the stranded people in Sri Lanka, including citizens from Germany, South Africa, Slovenia and United Kingdom.
🇮🇳 🤝 🇱🇰 🇩🇪 🇿🇦 🇸🇮 🇬🇧. https://t.co/z9OZ5p7DYz
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) November 30, 2025
People Rescued By IAF In Sri Lanka
First Leg (24 Passengers + 3 Civilian Casualties)
- Germany: 2
- South Africa: 4
- Slovenia: 2
- UK: 2
- India: 12
- Sri Lanka: 5
Second Leg (21 Passengers + 3 Casualties + 4 Infants)
- Poland: 2+1
- Belarus: 4+2
- Iran: 5
- Australia: 1
- Pakistan: 1
- Bangladesh: 3
- Sri Lanka: 8+1
Death Toll Crosses 200
The cyclonic storm Ditwah has unleashed massive devastation across Sri Lanka, killing more than 200 people and leaving behind a trail of collapsed homes, inundated towns and blocked roads as it was moving back over the Bay of Bengal.
The storm—one of the most severe weather systems to hit Sri Lanka in recent years—intensified heavy rainfall across the island for several days, triggering extensive flooding and deadly landslides. According to updated figures released by Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) at 4 pm on Sunday, 212 people have been killed, while 218 remain missing since the extreme weather system struck the island on Thursday.
India was the first country to respond to the crisis in Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched by New Delhi to help Colombo. India sent two urban search and rescue teams comprising 80 National Disaster Response Force personnel to the Island nation under Operation Sagar Bandhu, reaffirming the spirit of ‘Neighbourhood First.’
Colombo, Sri Lanka
November 30, 2025, 6:41 PM IST
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