Colombo, Dec 1 (LatestNewsX) — The Indian Embassy in Colombo confirmed that the final group of 104 Indians stranded in Sri Lanka’s Cyclone Ditwah-hit islands has now returned home.
"Iran …", the High Commission posted on X:
“Last batch of Indian passengers stranded in Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo have reached home. 104 stranded Indians reached Thiruvananthapuram, onboard Indian Air Force aircraft, around 6.30 a.m. today,”
In addition to the evacuations, India is ramping up rescue and relief efforts across the island. The Air Force carried out a hybrid rescue under Operation Sagar Bandhu on Sunday to free passengers from a restricted zone in Sri Lanka.
An IAF statement on X explained the tactic: “IAF helicopters undertook a hybrid rescue mission to extricate stranded passengers from a restricted zone. A Garud commando was winched down to guide the group through a 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.”
Further, three serious casualties were airlifted to Colombo for urgent medical care. Earlier, five Sri Lankan Army teams (40 soldiers) had flown from Diyathalawa Camp to support relief in the landslide‑affected Kotmale area.
An earlier post by the High Commission read: “A family of four stranded on a rooftop was rescued by a Chetak helicopter from INS Vikrant on 29 November 2025. They were safely airlifted and brought to a secure location. Operation Sagar Bandhu continues as India stands with the people of Sri Lanka.”
The National Disaster Response Force has also stepped up its operations on the ground. Ongoing heavy rain, flash floods, and landslides from Cyclone Ditwah keep the situation chaotic and demand continued support.
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