The Flag Officer onboard HMAS "Canberra" Air Commodore Richard Owen and the Commanding Officer of HMAS " Newcastle" Commander Anita Sellick who arrived in Sri Lanka for Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019, called on Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva at the Naval headquarters, today (24^th March).

The annual festival of the St. Anthony’s Church located on the Palaithivu Island was held on a high note yesterday (23^rd March) with the attendance of a large number of devotees who came all the way from the districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi.

Navy arrested 11 Indian fishermen along with 02 fishing trawlers belonging to them for engaging in illegal fishing last night (23^rd March).

Four (04) Australian ships belong to the Royal Australian Navy HMAS “Canberra” , HMAS “Newcastle”, HMAS “Success” and HMAS “Parramatta” arrived in Sri Lanka today (23^rd March) to participate in the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019.

As a meritorious concept of the President His Excellency, Maithripala Sirisena the Theravada Tripitaka was declared as a National Heritage of Sri Lanka and in parallel with the Tripitaka being recognized as a World Heritage, the Presidential Secretariat has announced the ‘Tripitakabhivandana’ Week from 16^th to 23^rd March.

Three persons with 41 sacks of Beedi leaves were apprehended by a group of Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command, during a patrol carried out in Talaimannar sea area, today (22^nd March).

During further search conducted in the sea area of Talaimannar this morning (21^st March) 04 sacks containing 327kg and 160g of Beedi leaves were found by naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command.

A group of Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command apprehended two persons with 27 sacks of Beedi leaves, during a patrol carried out in the seas 5 nautical miles off Talaimannar lighthouse, yesterday night ( 20^th March).

Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command, during a search operation, recovered 05 gunny bags washed to the beach of Urumalei in Talaimannar this morning (20^th March).

The Royal Australian Navy ships, HMAS Diamantina and HMAS Leeuwin left for their next port of call from Trincomalee today (20^th March). Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ships at the port of Trincomalee.