On receiving a SOS from the captain of a ship, the CSCL Long Beach, Saudi Border Guards in Jazan rescued 40-year-old Janaka Susantha Balasuriya who suffered a serious hand injury while carrying out his duty as a fitter on the liner.
The container vessel was going from Valencia seaport in Spain to Klang port in Malaysia.
Maj. Gen. Zameem Al-Sawat, director of the Border Guards in Jazan, said the rescue operation took place on Friday.
Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Al-Ayedi, commander of Border Guards in Jazan, instructed Col. Yahya Jabari, commander of marine units, to save the wounded sailor who had injured some of his fingers.
In accordance with international regulations, prompt measures were taken to provide the sailor with necessary medical care before sending him to his country, according to the commander.
Al-Ayedi, who monitored the rescue operation, noted that it is the role of marine patrol officers in ensuring security and providing guidance and other assistance to sailors in such emergency situations.
The Sri Lankan Consulate in Jeddah, which was monitoring Balasuriya’s condition, told Arab News that he had undergone minor surgery on his three wounded fingers.
“There is a possibility of the sailor losing one of his fingers due to a serious injury on his ring finger,” one source from the consulate said.
Gulf Agency Company (GAC), the local agent for CSCL Long Beach, looked after the interests of the injured sailor on instructions from coast guard authorities in Jazan.
Balasuriya, who is from Giriulla, 150 km from Colombo, was treated at Jazan General Hospital for two days and brought to Jeddah so he could catch a flight to the Sri Lankan capital via Abu Dhabi on Monday, an official from GAC said.
He added that the patient was staying at the Adnan Hotel in Jazan after he was discharged from the hospital.
“We brought Balasuriya to Jeddah by Saudia and took him home by Etihad Airways. He is expected to land in Colombo Tuesday morning,” the official said.
The Sri Lankan Consul General in Jeddah Sabarullah Khan thanked the coast guards for responding to the call immediately. The ship continued its journey to Malaysia after dropping the injured soldier at Jazan seaport.
Speaking from Giriulla, Balasuriya’s mother told Arab News that the sailor got married recently and had joined the ship a few months ago.
“Following the marriage, he used to stay with his newly married wife in another village far from Giriulla,” she said.
