Two people who went to bathe at the mouth of the Koggala estuary were swept away.

One person has died and another is missing after an unfortunate drowning accident that occurred today (21) afternoon at the Koggala estuary area in Galle. A group who had come for a pleasure trip went to bathe in the Koggala River and faced this unexpected accident.

Search operations to find the other missing person have been expedited, with Navy life-saving teams and local residents continuously conducting the searches.

The person who tragically lost his life in this tragedy is a 37-year-old father of one, residing in Pothuhera, Kurunegala. It is reported that he went bathing while on a tour in the Koggala area with a group of others. Two other companions, upon seeing him drowning, immediately jumped into the water to save him and managed to pull him out with great effort.

However, despite immediate steps taken to admit the rescued person to the Habaraduwa, Meepe Divisional Hospital with the help of local residents, it is reported that he had already passed away upon admission to the hospital. Subsequently, the body of the deceased was taken to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital (National Hospital) in Galle for post-mortem examination, where the autopsy is scheduled to be conducted.

Koggala Police have launched special and further investigations into this incident, and local residents are deeply shocked by the accident. Residents emphasize that the public should be more cautious when bathing in risky water bodies like the Koggala River, and that there is a need to raise public awareness to prevent such accidents, as well as for authorities to take prompt steps to ensure public safety and further strengthen such programs.