A three member Sri Lankan delegation visited Jakarta on 15 October 2019 to formulate Action Plan on Search & Rescue cooperation met with high-ranking officials of the National Search and Rescue Agency of Indonesia (BASARNAS). The delegation was headed by Deputy Director General of Sri Lanka Coast Guard Commodore YMGB Jayathilaka and included Director Naval Operations of Sri Lanka Navy Commodore PDS Dias, Minister Counsellor (Defence) of the Embassy of Sri Lanka Commodore M.S.K. Mahawatte and Wing Commander R.M.C.K. Ratnayake from Directorate of Air Operations of Sri Lanka Air Force.
During the visit, officials from both the countries discussed the action plan of the Memorandum of Understanding on SAR Cooperation that was signed in Colombo in January 2018 during the State Visit of President Joko Widodo to Sri Lanka. The action plan includes enhancing bilateral cooperation, effective networking & disaster coordination, capacity building, exchange of professional assistance and joint exercise on SAR.
On paying Courtesy Call to Chief of BASARNAS, Air Marshal Bagus Puruhito, S.E, M.M., Sri Lanka officials were briefed on the coordination mechanism of BASARNAS and familiarized with the scope of work at the Command Operations Center, when disaster situation activated.
Officials from BASARNAS partner agencies; Directorate of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transport, Indonesian Coast Guard (BAKAMLA) and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) also participated in the meeting.
