WOMAN, HER SON AND A NEIGHBOUR DROWN AS BARGE CAPSIZES

A 46-year-old woman who was travelling to Beliatta to attend her father’s funeral along with her 14-year-old son, drowned a long with her son when the barge they were on capsized as a result of the flooding that took place in Malimbada yesterday (1).

Another man, who was also on board, was also killed.

The woman along with her son, from Palatuwa area, had got onto a barge operated by a soldier yesterday afternoon to travel to Beliatta to attend her father’s funeral. A neighbour had also joined them aboard the barge to travel to his fibreglass workshop located nearby.

The barge had toppled in the water that was gushing as a result of the flooding in the area and the four persons on-board had fallen into the water. The soldier, who was operating the boat and could swim, had managed to grab hold of the woman and had dragged her to safety. After depositing her on dry ground, he had again jumped into the gushing waters and attempted to locate the little boy and the other man, but all his efforts were in vain. When he returned to the spot where he deposited the woman he had rescued, he had found that she had also gone missing.

The incident was immediately informed to the police and the navy that launched a search operation. They located the three bodies thereafter. The deceased were identified as Ranjani Jayawardana, her son Ashan Isuranga and Keerthihewa Nadugala.

Further investigations were being carried out by the Malimbada Police.