His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, appointed Rear Admiral Piyal De Silva as the 23rd Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy and promoted him to the 3-star rank of Vice Admiral with effect from 01st January 2019.

Rear Admiral Piyal De Silva, on being promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral, was appointed as the 23rd Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy by His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces today (01st January).

A Buddhist religious programme to mark the culmination of the series of religious events organized in view of the 68^th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Navy was held at the Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya on 27 December.

The relief teams of Sri Lanka Navy who have engaged in supporting the victims of flood affected areas of Kilinochchi and Mulathivu districts, have cleaned up the wells polluted by floods and the affected people are being provided with pure drinking water dispensed through mobile RO plants established by SL Navy.

Navy relief teams are supporting to set up the day today life of the general public in the North whose lives were uncomforted by the adverse weather inclined in Kilinochchi and Mulativu districts. Accordingly, fifteen (15) Navy relief teams have been deployed to clean the drinking water wells spoiled by the floods over Thondamanaru, Mankulam and Kottaadi areas.

As a part of social responsibility projects organized in view of 68th anniversary of Sri Lanka Navy and 36th anniversary of SLNS Parakrama, a blood donation was carried out by the naval personnel of SLNS Parakrama under the guidance of its Commanding Officer Captain Mahesh de Silva, at the Admiral Somathilake Dissanayake auditorium in Naval headquarters, on 24th December.

United States Naval Ship “Rushmore” which arrived at the port of Colombo on last 21st December, for a six (06) day goodwill visit, departed the island today (26th December).

On the directives of Office of the Chief of Defence Staff and the information provided by the Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka Navy is extending their relief operations for the victims affected by the adverse weather condition prevailed in Kilinochchi and Mulativu districts in the Northern Province.

Concluding their four-day goodwill visit in Sri Lanka, the three Russian ships, Varyag, Admiral Panteleev and Boris Butoma which arrived here on 20^th December, set sail from the Colombo harbour on 24^th December.

Navy held 09 persons who engaged in illegal activities in separate locations in the island over the past couple of days.