05th December 2023 10:44:32 Hours
5 Officers and 34 Other Ranks from the 111 Infantry Brigade and 2 (V) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) of the 11 Infantry Division under the Security Force Headquarters - Central (SFHQ-C) were among the firsts to locate a group of 183 undergraduates who had got stranded atop Hanthana mountain range in Kandy during an expedition on 2 December.
Reports confirmed that this 183-member team of undergrads on a camping tour while trekking the mountains, had reportedly lost their way as dusk was fast falling amidst gloomy weather conditions.
On being informed by the Kandy Police, a 39-member rescue team of the Army quickly moved into the dense jungle-infested Hanthana hilly areas despite inclement weather patterns. However, cloudy weather and thick darkness obstructed their search operations from time to time.
During morning hours at about 4.00 am on Sunday (03), the Army rescue team however managed to screen the exact location and reached those stranded undergrads who had lost their way in the hilly jungles.
The Army rescue team of the 2 (V) SLSR managed to bring them down safely after the search operation that lasted about six hours. Policemen also supported the rescue operation.
Major General W.W.H.R.R.V.M.N.D.K.B Niyangoda RWP RSP VSV USP ndu psc, Commander, Security Forces - Central, General Officer Commanding, 11 Infantry Division, 111 Infantry Brigade Commander and the Commanding Officer, 2 (V) SLSR closely coordinated and monitored the rescue operation.
