The National Aeronautical Search and Rescue Committee (NASC) convened today, May 21, at the Maganeguma – Mahamedura Complex in Battaramulla, underscoring Sri Lanka’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives across its skies and seas. This vital meeting brought together senior leaders tasked with coordinating swift and effective aeronautical and maritime search and rescue operations within the country’s designated Search and Rescue Region (SRR).
Presiding over the meeting was Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuiyacontha (Retd), who serves as Co-Chairman of the Committee. Alongside him were distinguished military commanders from Sri Lanka’s Tri-Forces and senior government officials, including representatives from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Services, Civil Aviation Authority, Disaster Management Centre, Police, and airport authorities.
Sri Lanka’s SRR, defined in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, encompasses the territorial sea and adjacent high seas. This jurisdiction mandates the coordination and delivery of essential aeronautical and maritime search and rescue services, ensuring timely communication, medical assistance, disaster warnings, and humanitarian aid to any individual in distress—regardless of nationality.
Formally established through Gazette Extraordinary No. 2347-02 dated August 28, 2023, the NASC holds a crucial mandate: to provide strategic leadership, direction, and coordination for the implementation of Sri Lanka’s National Aeronautical Search and Rescue System. The committee is required to meet at least once annually, either during active operations or for strategic planning to maintain operational readiness.
This gathering highlighted the collaborative spirit among Sri Lanka’s military, civil aviation, disaster management, and law enforcement agencies, collectively standing as the silent force behind every successful rescue mission. Their combined efforts ensure that when the call for help comes—often unheard amid the vast sky and sea—there is always a prepared and resolute response.
