• Investigations revealed that the small catamaran used by fishermen had been carrying the entire group of eight individuals

By Chandrasena Gamage and Dileep Jayasekara   

The bodies of three girls who had gone missing when the boat they were riding in capsized in the Mahawelikada Ara tank at Sooriyawewa on Saturday evening (12) were recovered by Navy divers from Kirinda naval base.   

The tragedy occurred when a group of eight individuals enjoying a boat ride in the tank had got into difficulty and three of them including a ten year old girl drowned.   

The bodies of one of them had been recovered on Saturday evening itself and of those of others last morning by Navy divers from Kirinda naval base and the police life guard.   
The girls were grand daughters of an individual who had drowned in the same tank three months ago and they had come to attend the alms giving held in his memory.   

The deceased were student’s of Ogodapola Junior School in Kurunegala, Tharushi Mihirangi Senadeera (10), a student of Gonigoda Maha Vidyalaya in Kurunegala , Basnayake Mudiyanselage Vishmi Hansika (16), and a student of Ibbagamuwa Maha Vidyalaya Dilakshi Madushika Herath (18) .   

Five others including an eight month old infant had been saved by the residents of the area. The infant child and another were admitted to the Sooriyawewa hospital.   
They too were on a visit to a relative’s house in Sooriyawewa area to attend the alms giving.  

Investigations revealed that the small catamaran used by fishermen had been carrying the entire group of eight individuals. Investigations revealed that they were taking photos and enjoying the ride when the catamaran capsized.   

A police team under OIC Suriyawewa police CI Anura Susantha is conducting further investigation.