• Indicated that they will leave by evening of August 19
• Initially approval had been sought to stay in the port till August 22
• Indicated that they will leave by evening of August 19
• The vessel was to be berthed in the Hambantota port between August 11 and 17
• However, SL asked China to postpone the port call after India raised security concerns

By Kelum Bandara 

The Yuan Wang 5 research vessel of China has cut short its port call in Hambantota to August 19, an official said.
Habour-Master Nirmal Silva told Daily Mirror yesterday that the ship would enter the port by 7.30 am today to be berthed by around 8.30 am.

Initially, approval had been sought to stay in the port till August 22. However, Mr. Silva said the vessel would stay only till the evening of August 19.

“They have indicated that they will leave by the evening of August 19,” he said .

Earlier , the ship was to be berthed in the Hambantota port between August 11 and 17. However, Sri Lanka asked China to postpone the port call after India raised security concerns. It led to a diplomatic scuffle with China and India taking on each other .