The Sri Lanka Aviation Unit operating under the United Nations (UN) mandate in the Central African Republic (CAR) has successfully carried out a critical Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) mission, under extremely hostile and volatile conditions.

The mission has been launched in response to an urgent request to evacuate two United Nations personnel who had sustained combat-related injuries in the Zemio area, the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) said. 

Accordingly, the evacuation has been conducted using a Mi-17 helicopter (UNO 325P).

The aircraft was captained by Wing Commander Nelson De Silva, with Flight Lieutenant Arunoda Ekanayake serving as co-pilot.

The aircrew comprised Squadron Leader Sandeepa Wijayathunga, Sergeant WCN Senevirathne, and Corporal DVPM Rodrigo. The Aeromedical Evacuation Team included Group Captain Sujith Perera, Flight Sergeant KW Sumedha, and Flight Sergeant RDH Karunadasa, who provided critical in-flight medical care to the casualties, the SLAF stated.

The extraction site was located approximately 20 kilometres northeast of the Zemio Permanent Operating Base (POB) and posed significant operational challenges. 

These included extremely dusty landing conditions, an unstable and rapidly evolving tactical environment, and the requirement for a precision landing under constant threat, the SLAF said. 

Despite these constraints, the aircrew demonstrated remarkable courage, sound judgment, and outstanding airmanship throughout the operation.

A comprehensive threat assessment conducted by the aircraft commander, taking into account the critical condition of the casualties, reflected exceptional adaptability and operational decision-making, the statement added.

According to the SLAF, the total flight duration of the mission was one hour and 45 minutes. The injured personnel were safely evacuated from the hostile location and successfully transported to Bangui for advanced medical treatment.