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US-donated SL Navy ship Vijayabahu commissioned

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President of Sri Lanka – Ranil Wickremesinghe, Secretary to the Minister of Defence – Kamal Gunaratne, Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy – Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne and the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka – Julie Chung today (22) attended the commissioning of the Navy Ship Vijayabahu, formerly the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro, in Colombo Harbor.  The United States had donated the ship to Sri Lanka on October 26, 2021 as part of its continuing commitment to strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to protect its maritime sovereignty and security.

Viewing the commissioning ceremony with Sri Lankan dignitaries, Ambassador Chung extended her appreciation to the ship’s officers and sailors for their skillful handling of the ship during the voyage.  She also expressed her thanks to the families and loved ones of the sailors for their sacrifice during the crew’s long absence. 

Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is seven times the size of its land area and maintains a Search and Rescue area nearly 25 times as large. The new vessel is capable of performing wide-ranging operations that include conservation of marine resources, search and rescue of naval and fishing vessels in distress and interdiction of drug and weapons smuggling among other crucial functions.

The Vijayabahu is the third ship donated by the United States to the Sri Lanka Navy, preceded by the Gajabahu in 2018 and the Samudura in 2004, which continue to patrol the nation’s waters.  The latest ship, a former Hamilton-class high-endurance 115-meter cutter, undertook one of the longest voyages in Sri Lankan naval history, embarking from Seattle, Washington, on September 3 and arriving in Colombo on November 2, 2022.

In its former U.S. role, the then-Douglas Munro enforced fishing regulations in Alaskan waters, seized trawlers engaged in illegal practices and interdicted 11.5 tons of cocaine off the coast of Mexico, one of the largest hauls in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.  After the 2004 tsunami, the cutter provided food and water to Indonesians and later seized a vessel overtaken by pirates off the Horn of Africa.  The ship also rescued survivors of numerous shipwrecks in dangerous and frigid waters off the Alaskan coast.

The transfer of the vessel is just one point in a long history of cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United States in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.  The U.S. is committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts to protect its sea lanes, which are vital to alleviating the current economic crisis.

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2 drownings today

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Two drowning incidents have been reported today (May 13).

In one incident, one person had drowned while 03 others were reported missing while bathing in the sea off Wennappuwa today (May 13).

Police said four persons from Nuwara Eliya were reported missing while sea bathing and that one body was later recovered.

Search operations are continuing.

Meanwhile, two girls who had gone to bathe in the Palukadawala Tank in Galgamuwa, Kurunegala, have also drowned.

The girls, aged 12 and 17 had gone bathing while they were visiting a relative in the area.

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Police assure that belongings of Kotmale accident victims are safe

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Kotmale Police have stated that luggage, mobile phones and other belongings of the passengers on the bus that met with a tragic accident at Gerandi Ella are safe with them/

Kotmale Police OIC Chief Inspector Vajira Ratnayake stated that the villagers who assisted authorities at the time of the accident handed over the passengers’ belongings to the Police.

The OIC also stated that 35 mobile phones, luggage and other valuables have been kept safe at the police station and can be obtained after the identities of the claimants are verified.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the bus conductor’s ticket book and the money he had collected could not be found.

The OIC had also stated that the exact number of passengers on the bus could not be ascertained due to the death of the driver and the fact that the conductor was receiving treatment in hospital.

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PSL 2025 to resume on May 17

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PSL 2025 will resume on May 17, with the final on May 25. The announcement confirms the league will end a week after it was originally scheduled to conclude.

The four remaining group games will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground, with the playoffs and final in Lahore. Aside from one afternoon game in Rawalpindi – between Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators on 18 May, all fixtures take place at night, with evening games starting at 7:30pm local time.

“HBL PSL X picks up from where it left off,” he wrote in the post,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on X (formerly Twitter). “6 teams, 0 fear. Get ready for 8 thrilling matches starting 17th May, leading up to the Grand Final on 25th May. Best of luck to all the teams!”

The league, which was postponed due to increasing cross-border tensions with India, has eight games left.

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New IPL schedule announced

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