நண்பேன்டா..!

On the night of the storm on the 7^th, a fisherman in Hettimulla, Beruwala,a 24 year old Thilina Madushantha after the boat overturned had returned to shore after swimming in the sea for 15 hours.

When the boat overturned I was submerged and when I came up as my friend could not swim had given his life jacket to him, swam for about 15 hours and had come ashore. He had been very happy as he could swim for such a long period of time and save his life. He had quipped this while he was in the Balapitiya base hospital.

After he regained consciousness he described the dreadful story like this:

“In our family I have only one sister. I am married having a little daughter just six months old. My father is also a fisherman. I started to go fishing when I was just 16 years old. On the day of the incident I left Beruwala to go fishing at 4.30 p.m in ‘Kalumalli’s’ boat.

Other than me there was only another friend. His name as we call is ‘Mahiyangana’ as we do not know his name. The sea was normal up to 10 to 11 p.m .Then the ‘storm’ came. We were about 10 miles from the land. For the storm we could not even stand. The tyres attached to boat got detached and got blown away. The boat toppled.

We clung on the boat. But we could not cling on as the storm was very strong. We were floating in the sea water until morning. I was thinking of my little daughter and wife. As my friend could not swim I gave my life jacket to him and with the aid of two air balls tied to my body I started to swim ashore. It was difficult to swim due to the strong waves. I hot submerged and came up again and started to swim. My friend could not swim. With the jacket he was drawn towards the shore with the waves. When I was tried I thought I will have to die in the sea. I saw three dead bodies. I was thinking that helicopters would come. But they never came. I swam all alone until I reached the Induruwa shore around 4.30 pm”