Mar 31, Colombo: Sri Lanka Navy yesterday assisted the International Committee of Red Cross to evacuate the sixteenth batch of 540 patients and civilians on board the MV Green Ocean sailing under the ICRC flag.

Sri Lanka Navy provided the safe passage to the ICRC vessel evacuating the people from the un-cleared areas in Mullaitivu to government-controlled Pulmoddai.

The sixteenth batch consisted of 167 adult males, 229 adult females, and 144 children in total. Among them 68 male and 61 female patients needed medical treatment.

Upon disembarkation at Pulmoddai naval medical personnel provided the emergency medical treatment and rushed patients to the Field Hospital and Base Hospital in Pulmoddai and the General Hospital in Padawiya for further treatment.

The ICRC with the assistance of Sri Lanka Navy has so far evacuated more than 3,000 sick and wounded civilians over the sea route to the hospitals in government controlled areas.