Daily NEWS Srilanka

Kanishka Dilshan Weerakoon (23) who passed away when a boat capsized while on a pleasure trip with his friends in Kitulgala a few days ago was a young man who went forward in life while amidst financial difficulties and was someone who won the hearts of everybody, it is learned.

He had in fact lived with his father, mother and younger sister in Katuwellegama area in Negombo in a small dwelling which still was not completed as such. He had secured 9 As at the Ordinary Level

Kanisha has had his education at Gampaha Bandaranaika College and having obtained 3 distinguished passes in Maths at the Advanced Level was chosen for the third position in Gampaha district and later managed to enter the Moratuwa university.

As preplanned, 13 had gone to engage in water sports. One team of six has got into a 'dinghy' boat. This water sport in fact was not only difficult but one which confronts danger. Though the sport had commenced with safety-belts and safety uniforms being worn, most unexpectedly the boat had toppled and Dilshan was involuntarily forced to to die with large quantities of water entering his body through the mouth. Whatever it is, some people have said that if that water could have been removed from the body through first aid, this death could have been prevented.

The deceased's friend Thisara Kavindra said at the inquest into the death: "We were given instructions by the aiya who rowed the boat before we got into the boat that if a case of emergency is sensed, to get hold of the safety-rope and to bend down towards the inside of the boat. After that, seven of us got into the boat and after travelling down a short distance, the boat tilted towards the right side and struck a rock at a spot where the river was flowing between two rocks. Just then the boat got trapped in a current and went under the waters. At that moment both Chanaka and Dilshan got swept downwards.

Just then the aiya who rowed the boat said that one person is stuck in the boat. Then I and Kosala pulled Kanishka who was stuck inside the boat. But he didn't come out. Because the surge of the water at that time was so strong, I also was drifted downwards in the river. I got hold of a rock and got on top of that rock".

The postmortem of the dead person was conducted by the Judicial Medical Officer of Karawanella hospital and a verdict of death due to suffocation in drowning was given. This student who was someone who had tried to cover his necessities with the Mahapola scholarship fund instead of depending on any monies from home, it is said. It is also understood that he had even established himself as a leader of a group by helping out his colleagues in explaining things in relevant educational activities. On this particular occasion he had managed to collect the required money necessary for the said water sport with the monies he had received from his relatives when he had called on them with a sheaf of betel for the Sinhala Avurudu, it is reported. The house in which they now reside has still not been completed and finished as such. It had been constructed on a low expenditure according to Dilshan's knowledge.

(Report -- Arandara Dissanaika of Seethawaka and Nimanthi Fernando of Negombo)