Sri Lankan Navy rescues 34 Bangladeshis

The SL Navy was called for help when the Bangladeshi ship, sailing from Myanmar to Mumbai, started sinking because of rough seas.

Sri Lanka's Navy on Thursday rescued 34 Bangladeshi nationals from a sinking ship off the island nation's southern coast, an official said.

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The vessel Amanth Sah was sailing from Myanmar in Southeast Asia to Mumbai, India, when it developed a technical failure close to the Sri Lankan coast in Koggala 130 kms south of the capital, navy spokesman Commander DKP Dassanayake said.

While being towed to the southern Galle port, the ship started sinking because of rough seas, and the Sri Lankan Navy was called in to help, said Jayalath Perera of Colombo Radio, which maintains radio contacts with vessels sailing close to Sri Lanka.

The Bangladeshi ship was transporting timber to Mumbai and there were 34 people on board, Dassanayake said.