Seventeen Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters deployed to assist Sri Lanka during the recent floods and cyclone have been returned to India for essential maintenance, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) confirmed.
Another MI-17 helicopter arrived at the SLAF Base in Katunayake at 11.50 a.m. yesterday (09), strengthening ongoing rescue and relief efforts.
According to the Air Force, the two IAF helicopters that departed for maintenance played a crucial role in relief operations, rescuing 270 people stranded across the island. They also transported 50 metric tons of essential supplies to relief centres for distribution among disaster-affected communities.
The newly arrived helicopter is manned by 14 IAF personnel and is expected to join local forces in continuing rescue and humanitarian operations across affected regions.
