Even though elements of the 6th Battalion of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment held the fort effectively under the command of Lieutenant Jayantha Perera and was support by the policemen of the Jaffna Police Station, the garrison was running short of food and ammunition.

Volunteering to fly the mission he selected Flight Lieutenant Avindra Mirando as his co-pilot and Raula Fernando and Wimaladharma Sooriyadasa as air gunners.

4 Helicopter Wing code named Lasantha was used, and the pilots practiced the maneuvers Nachaduwa tankbund in the vicinity of Anuradhapura during twilight hours of July 2, 1990.

The SIAI Marchetti SF.260s were led by Squadron Leader Shirantha Goonatilake, and the close air cover gunships were Bell 212s armed with .50 cal machine guns and rockets from the No.

2 Squadron were improvised as bombers were to be flying over Mannar in case mission failure and to assist in the recovery through a prolonged battle with heavy bombing capability.

On arriving near the Fort, Sqn Ldr Waidyaratne made a 90-degree turn and descended, instructing his own gunners not to initiate aggressive fire, making an 8-shaped path and settled the machine at the designated location.

In less than a minute the rescue helicopter successfully completed its mission, placing a new commanding officer, a medical team and supplies, a complement of heavy weapons and loading up eight seriously wounded soldiers and policemen.