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| P350, the 1st of 2 former Australian Patrol Boats given to Sri Lanka |
Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage and Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Robyn Mudie signed the deed of gift of the second Australian Bay Class patrol boat at the Naval Headquarters on 03rd June 2014. Director General Operations Rear Admiral Neil Rosayro, Director Naval Project and Planning, Commodore Samantha Wimalathunge and Ms. Sue Knight of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service were also present on the occasion.
Australian Prime Minister, Hon. Tony Abbott, while in Sri Lanka to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting pledged the gift of two patrol vessels to SLN as a capacity enhancement measure. He commended the Sri Lanka Navy’s efforts in preventing people smuggling at a high-level meeting held onboard Sri Lanka Navy’s Flag Ship Sayura at the Port of Colombo on 17th November 2013.
The fully furbished boats will substantially augment the SLN’s capacity as they are able to cover a large area of the Indian Ocean and serve Sri Lanka’s Search and Rescue Area more effectively. The first boat arrived at the Port of Colombo on 24th April 2014 and it was named P 350.