Bond of brothers in drowning tragedy
FAMILY MOURNS ‘BEAUTIFUL BOYS’ AFTER THEY DROWN WITH CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AT CAMBER SANDS
THE family of two brothers who drowned alongside three childhood friends in the Camber Sands beach tragedy today paid tribute to their “beautiful boys” who “would have done anything for each other”.
Kobi Nathan, 22, died trying to rescue his 18-year-old brother Ken after the group got into difficulty in the sea on a day trip to the popular beach near Rye, East Sussex.
It is believed they were playing football on a sandbank when Ken and friend Inthushan Sriskantharasa, 23, got stuck in quicksand below the water.
Kobi, with friends Kurushanth Srithavarajah, 27, and Nitharsan Ravi, 22, all from south-east London, swam over to free them but became caught in rising waters and then dragged out by a powerful rip current. Shocked holiday- makers pulled three of the friends to the shore shortly after 2pm on Wednesday but despite the desperate attempts of medics they were pronounced dead 15 minutes later.
The bodies of the two other victims were discovered at about 8pm when the tide went out on the seven-mile beach where thousands had spent the hottest day of the year.
The family of the two brothers, who moved to the UK eight years ago to escape Sri Lanka’s civil war, spoke of their heartbreak as they told how they believed Kobi had given his life trying to save his brother, despite neither being able to swim.
From the family home in Erith, their aunt Genga Genges said: “He was that kind of person. He would have given his life for someone he loved, and Ken would have done the same.
“They were not only brothers but best friends. They would have done anything for each other.”
Ken had gone with his brother and friends to the beach to celebrate receiving top grades in his A-levels last week. The student was planning to go to university to study computer forensics, and then had hopes of working for the Home Office or police.
His brother Kobi was an accounting and finance student at University of Brighton who dreamed of owning his own business.
The two brothers played football and cricket for the Jaffna XI club in south London, along with Mr Srithavarajah, and were part of the area’s tight-knit Sri Lankan community.
Mrs Genges, 43, added: “They were the most beautiful boys, so funny, kind, and loving and made their parents so proud.
“We are so heartbroken. We can’t go on without them. How will his parents recover? They were their only sons.
“It just doesn’t make sense and our lives have been torn apart.”
The family have demanded answers as to why the beach does not have life guards.