The teacher and the three children who lost their lives while flying kites on Pamunugama beach

A tragic incident has been reported where a school teacher, her infant daughter, and a neighboring girl died, and another student went missing after being caught in an unfortunate wave at the Pamunugama beach, plunging the Ja-Ela Niwandama area into deep sorrow. While they were on the severely rough beach due to the monsoon season, flying kites, a sudden large wave swept them into the sea.

The victims of this unfortunate incident are 35-year-old teacher Malisha Fernando, a resident of Niwandama area, her 4-year-old daughter Vinuki Vidmisa, 11-year-old Vishwa Prasadi from a neighboring house, and her 13-year-old brother Satheesha Anuhas. Upon hearing the news on the night of the 30th, youths and residents of Niwandama gathered at Pamunugama beach, but conducting search operations at night amidst the turbulent sea conditions proved to be a great challenge.

The teacher's 6-year-old son Sanuka, who survived the accident, stated that the family and the two neighboring children went to the beach in a van. They did not go swimming or kite flying; they were sleeping on the sand when a sudden giant wave swept everyone towards the sea. Little Sanuka clung to a log and saved his life. Mrs. Padma Kanthi, the grandmother of the two neighboring children involved in the accident, mentioned that the children, who had helped with paddy field work in the morning and were resting at home, received their father's permission to join this trip at the teacher's invitation, and later that night, they received the tragic news.

During the search operations for the missing, the bodies of Mrs. Malisha Fernando and Vishwa Prasadi were found on Kapungoda beach, approximately 3 kilometers from the accident site. The body of little Vinuki was found floating in the sea near the accident site. The Navy and local residents are still continuing search operations for the 13-year-old student Satheesha Anuhas, who remains missing.

The body of the deceased Mrs. Malisha Fernando has been admitted to Ragama Hospital for post-mortem examination, and the bodies of the two children have been admitted to Negombo Hospital. Further investigations into the incident are being conducted by the Bopitiya Police.