Elephant Swept Miles Out To Sea Dramatically Rescued By Navy

The Sri Lanka Navy released dramatic footage of their rescue of a drowning elephant after the mammal was swept out to sea by the current. The elephant “Jumbo” was spotted about 8 nautical miles (15km) off the coast of Kokkuthuduwai, Kokilai according to the country’s Navy.

The Navy of Sri Lanka believes the elephant was dragged out to sea while crossing a lagoon between jungles.

“They can’t keep swimming for long because they burn a lot of energy. And the salt water isn’t good for their skin, so in this case, the situation probably warranted human intervention.”

Sri Lanka Navy

It took around 12 hours to complete the rescue, which involved a team of Navy divers, several boats and officials with Sri Lanka’s Department of Wildlife.

The team of rescuers used ropes to gently guide the elephant back to shore. Once there, Jumbo was given into the care of wildlife officials where he will recover before being returned to the wild.

Watch footage of the elephant’s rescue in the video below and share it with your friends!


 

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