Sri Lankan Navy, under the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has helps the only Sri Lankan employed at MSC Magnifica luxury cruise ship to return to his Motherland.

There are 2,700 passengers and crew members on board of the cruise, which commenced the voyage on January 5^th . However, the cruise was halted in Australia in the wake of COVID – 19 outbreak. As all the ports rejected the request by the ship it was anchored at the Colombo Port on its way back to Italy for refueling and other needs. The only Sri Lankan crew member of the ship, Anura Bandara Herath appealed to the President via Facebook to intervene to enabling him to enter the country during the ship’s short stay at the port of Colombo. Upon seeing the Facebook video President instructed the Commander of Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Piyal de Silva to look into the matter.

The Rapid Response Team of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Unit of Sri Lanka Navy received Mr. Herath today (06). The team also assisted to bring a 75-year old German lady, who was ailing, for treatments.

The Sri Lankan crew member was sent to the quarantine center in Boossa while the German lady was transferred to the National Hospital in Colombo, Vice Admiral Piyal de Silva said.