Sri Lanka’s Navy rescues two elephants caught out at sea

The Sri Lankan Navy has again come to the rescue of elephants caught in the ocean out of their depth.

Two elephants were observed by a patrol vessel over the weekend struggling in the Trincomalee area about one kilometre off the coast of Sri Lanka.

Photographs of the pair show their distress, barely able to keep their trunks above the waves.

Patrol boats and a diving team were all involved in the rescue, with the elephants released back on shore to ensure they got into no further trouble.

Navy officials say the animals were likely swept out while crossing shallow lagoons in the region.

It’s the second time in a matter of weeks the Navy has been involved in an elephant rescue.

Sailors were filmed earlier this month helping a lone elephant find its way back to sure after drifting around 15 kilometres from the shore.

Sri Lankan elephants are one of three recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant.

They have been listed as endangered since 1986 with the species pre-eminently threated by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.