Watery grave for Lankan teen in UK

A teenager who moved from Sri Lanka to Newport drowned after jumping into a river, an inquest heard. The body of Vithuran Sathiyaseelan, 17, was discovered by a police diving team in water at Afon Lwyd in Caerleon at 8.50pm on May 29. Deputy Gwent coroner Wendy James yesterday ruled that Sathiyaseelan had died accidentally and issued a warning to the public about the dangers of swimming in rivers.

The inquest, at Gwent Coroner's Court, Newport, heard a statement from Sathiyaseelan's uncle Iyakkudy Sajantha, who said the teenager moved from Sri Lanka in 2011 to study fashion and design at the University of Wales, Newport.

The court heard statements from friends of Sathiyaseelan who said that on May 29 Sathiyaseelan, who lived at Maindee Parade, had gone to the Afon Lwyd, with Ramandeep Bhambra and Kondwani Moraef.

When they arrived at the river they saw some younger children, aged around 14, swimming in the area.

Bhambra clambered down some rocks to get into the water and said Sathiyaseelan was asking the children if the river was deep which they said it was. Sathiyaseelan, who said he could swim, then jumped in and began bobbing up and down in the water.

She said he went under the water about three times and would then appear above the water but she thought he was joking around.

Courtesy: South Wales Argus