Indian Air Force evacuates over 50 people from flood-hit Sri Lanka, including Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has evacuated more than 55 people, including four infants and six critically injured patients, from the landslide- and flood-affected areas in Sri Lanka in a dramatic rescue operation. Mi17 helicopters operating under “Operation Sagar Bandhu” airlifted stranded tourists and locals from the Kotmale region to safety in Colombo. Among those rescued were citizens of 10 countries, notably one Pakistani and three Bangladeshi nationals.

“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,” an IAF statement said.

In restricted and forested terrain where helicopters could not land directly, the elite Garud commando established contact with the stranded group and led them on foot to a clearing suitable for helicopter operations. The rescues took place in two main legs. In the first sortie, 24 passengers and three critical casualties were flown to Colombo Port and hospitals. The second sortie evacuated 21 passengers, including four infants, and another three critically injured patients.

Officials confirmed the breakdown of nationalities: 14 Sri Lankans, 12 Indians, six Belarusians, five Iranians, four South Africans, three Poles, three Bangladeshis, two Germans, two Slovenians, two Britons, one Australian, and one Pakistani. Earlier in the day, the same Indian helicopters had airlifted five teams of Sri Lankan Army personnel, 40 troops in total, from Diyathalawa Army Camp to the affected area to assist with ground relief and road-clearing operations.

The operation marks another instance of India providing rapid disaster response assistance to its neighbours under its “Neighbourhood First” policy. While India frequently assists Sri Lanka during natural calamities, the evacuation of Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals alongside Indians and Western tourists shows the purely humanitarian nature of the mission.

More than 150 people are now confirmed dead, and scores remain missing after heavy rains due to Cyclone Ditwah triggered landslides and floods across the country. India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide support to Sri Lanka, with Indian warships carrying 6.5 tonnes of rations and IAF aircraft transporting 21 tonnes of aid plus 80 NDRF rescuers.