A Swiss national sailing around the world alone in a yacht had a narrow escape when the yacht collapsed after hitting a rock close to the Kamburugamuwa beach in Matara.

The 43 year old Swiss national named Bourenon had swum with his life jacket on to the Matara beach and escaped when the yacht had broken into pieces.

Police said he had begun his voyage in October. The Swiss national explaining his predicament said he sailed past Australia and Indonesia. “Near the Sri Lankan seas I had fallen into a deep sleep. All of a sudden the yacht crashed onto a rock and I woke up only at that moment. I was thrown out and fell into the sea. However I was wearing the life jacket. I swam and finally reached the coast. Parts of the broken yacht also got swept to the coast afterwards. Thereafter a group of people and policemen brought me to the police station. I am grateful to them for treating me well,” Bourenon said.

It was one Chaminda Senadeera of Kamburugamuwa, Epitamulla who had first informed the police about the foreigner who had been swept to the beach. “When I was in front of my house around 11 pm I saw a strong light that came from the beach. I saw it as if a plane had fallen. Then I phoned a friend and told about it. He told me to tell the police and not to go near it. Thereafter, I informed the police and went to the beach with a police sergeant. At the beach we saw a white man in shock. Then we took him to the police station,” he said.

The sailor Bourenon was to be handed over to the Swiss Embassy in Colombo. (Krishan Jeewaka Jayaruk)