We are grateful to TASC Member Paschal Gunawardena for this fascinating story written by his late uncle Stan Fernando
The following article was written by Stan Fernando, a Junior Engineer from Sri Lanka (Ceylon as known then), who was serving on S.S. Talamba at the time when disaster stuck.
The article was first published in ‘The Sunday Times’ news paper (Sri Lanka) 24th February 1980 issue and again sometime later in the Institute of Marine Engineers’- Sri Lanka Branch bulletin.
This is his recollection of events on that fateful night.