Police and Navy investigate on board hanging of ship’s officer

By Norman Palihawadane

The Harbour police and Navy are conducting two separate investigations after finding the body of the executive officer of the SLNS Vijayabahu anchored at the Colombo Harbour hanging in his personal quarters (cabin) inside the ship on Thursday.

Police identified the deceased as Commander R Rajapakshe, a resident of Gampaha. He is a father of two children and his wife is a major in the Army. The Navy declined to comment.Police sources said that the preliminary investigations showed that the officer is reported to have attended to his usual duties and crew members did not believe that he had any cause to hang himself.

The deceased body was found hanging by the neck using a rope, police said.The Harbour police said that they recorded statements from members of the crew of the ship. An investigation into the phone records of the deceased was underway, police said.

Police said that they were awaiting the report of the post mortem.

The Offshore Patrol Vessel P 627 the most recent addition to the Sri Lanka Naval fleet. It was acquired from the US Coast Guard and was commissioned as Vijayabahu by President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Colombo Port on Nov 22 last year.

The SLNS Vijayabahu was rushed to the rescue of a Chinese fishing vessel that capsized in the Indian Ocean last month. The Chinese Embassy at a special ceremony in Colombo recently (June 6) felicitated the Navy diving team which engaged in an operation at the site of the overturned fishing vessel ‘LU PENG YUAN YU 028’.

The vessel capsized in the Australian Search and Rescue Region, south of Sri Lanka on May 16, 2023. The felicitation was presided over by Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Chief of Presidential Staff and Senior Adviser on National Security Sagala Ratnayaka.