Youth swept away by wave, two missing

Rafik Jalaldeen

A group of youth was swept away by a wave at the Mt. Lavinia beach on Sunday evening. One was killed, two others are still missing and two were admitted to hospital, Police spokesman Senior DIG Nimal Mediwake said.

He said a group of youths aged between 20 to 25 had gone to the Mt. Lavinia beach for a swim and five of them were reported missing. "It was believed while the youths were swimming a wave carried five of them away," he added.

He said two youths were reported missing in the sea and three others were admitted to the Kalubowila hospital.

"A rescue team deployed comprising a number of divers and the Navy have searched the area and found three of them alive. One was in a critical condition," he added.

According to Kalubowila Hospital Director Dr. Anil Jasinghe, three youths were admitted to the hospital and one of them died on admission. The deceased was identified as Tharindu Dushantha (24), a resident of Kotte. The others were residents from Madiwela, Mattegoda, Maharagama and Malabe.

He noted that the Mt. Lavinia police, a team from the Navy and the life guards are continuing search operations in the area.