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**By APD writer Jamila Husain **
COLOMBO, July 23 (APD) - The Sri Lanka Navy, on Sunday saved two elephants that were swept out to deep sea in between Round Island and Foul Point, in Trincomalee, in the islands east, the navy said in a statement here.
The rescue is the second of its kind after a team of naval officers, earlier this month saved an elephant who was struggling to keep afloat after it was swept into the rough seas off the islands northern coast. The navy had carried out a 12 hour rescue operation to save the animal and bring it safely into the shallow waters.
On Sunday, the jumbos in troubled waters were first noticed by an Inshore Patrol Craft on routine sea patrol.
Upon being alerted the Department of Wildlife in Trincomalee, a combined rescue mission was launched by the Navy and Wildlife officials to save the 2 wild elephants.
Responding to the situation, the Navy augmented the rescue mission by deploying 3 more Fast Attack Craft, on patrol and a team of Navy Divers, the navy said.
Accordingly, the mammoth effort of the rescue teams saw the two jumbos being carefully directed to the shore without causing any harm to the animals.
Having safely guided the two elephants to the shore, they were subsequently released to the Foul Point jungle, the navy said.
In the earlier rescue mission, the navy said the jumbo had likely got swept into the sea while crossing the Kokkilai lagoon, a large stretch of water that lies between two areas of jungle.
Divers aided by wildlife officials approached the distressed animal and tied ropes to it before towing it gently to shallow waters near the coast, where it was released.
The navy had called it a miraculous escape.
The rescue came six weeks after the navy and local residents saved a pod of 20 pilot whales who became stranded in nearby Trincomalee, a natural harbour that is popular for whale watching.
The waters around Trincomalee, which was used by Allied forces as a staging post during World War II, have a high concentration of blue and sperm whales, while the surrounding jungles have herds of wild elephants.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
