Bodies of father, son drowned in Welioya river found: Police

Police today said they had recovered the bodies of a 17 year old boy and his 52 year old father, who were swept away in the Welioya river in Kalupahana, Haldumulla while they were bathing in the river yesterday evening.  

A search operation to look for the father-son duo had been launched soon after with the support of the Army rescue team from Diyatalawa and area residents.

Police said the two bodies were found wedged among the rocks some 600 meters away from the spot where they went missing.

The Grama Niladhari of the area W.M.B.Weerakoon said tragedy struck when the relatives and members, who all belong to one family, were travelling from Pamunuwa, Maharagama to Bandarawela to spend the New Year holidays. While on their way, they stopped to bathe in the Welioya river.

Weerakoon said the water current in the Welioya river was extremely strong due to heavy rains experienced in the Ohiya area in recent days. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama and Saman Palitha Nanayakkara)

Pix by Saman Palitha Nanayakkara