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Pakistan Navy joins rescue efforts in Maldives

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistan navy ships have joined relief efforts in the calamity-hit Maldives, evacuating hundreds of tourists stranded on an island by tidal waves, officials said on Monday.

The frigate Tariq and logistic support ship Nasr had arrived in Maldives on Christmas Day on a three-day goodwill and training mission, said Masood Khan, foreign office spokesman. The next day the tiny island nation was battered by massive tidal waves caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean near Indonesia.

Commodore Asif Sardilla, mission’s chief, offered humanitarian, medical and rescue assistance to the Maldivian authorities, Mr Khan said. Tariq was despatched to evacuate tourists and locals stranded on Mino atoll, “considered to be the worst hit area,” Mr Khan added. Helicopters on board the Nasr dropped supplies to affected areas and evacuated stranded local residents and foreign tourists, including a Pakistani couple, from the island, he said. Pakistan navy was to continue providing assistance as long as they were needed, he added. afp

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